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BASE HOSPITAL No. 9 
A. E. F. 



A History of the Work of the 
New York Hospital Unit 

During Two Years of Active Service 

WRITTEN BY THE 

PADRE 




NEW YORK: 1920 



13 <o&s 



CMft 
Public *»f 
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TO 

THE OFFICERS, NURSES, AND ENLISTED MEN OF THE UNIT 

WHO DESERVE HIGHEST PRAISE FOR THE WORK 

DONE, THE SPIRIT SHOWN IN DOING IT, 

AND THE RESULTS ACHIEVED, 

THIS BOOK IS 
DEDICATED 




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CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Hospital Personnel 9 

Historical Diary 16 

Chapter 

I. Genesis 27 

II. Exodus 30 

III. What Happened on the "Finland" ... 34 

IV. Savenay 45 

V. The Formative Days 55 

VI. "When a Train Came In" 63 

VII. Base Hospital No. 9 Becomes the Orthopedic 

Center of France 73 

VIII. The Reconstruction Activities 75 

IX. Our Post Engineers 89 

X. The American Soldier 93 

XI. Other Happenings 95 

XII. The Red Cross 105 

XIII. The Surgical Dressing Work Room . . . 114 

XIV. Revelations 119 

XV. The Enlargement of the Hospital . . . . 137 

XVI. The Last Days 140 



An Appendix 

1. Number of Admissions and Dismissals 



The Curve of Patients in the Hospital 

The Number of Operations . 

List of Cases Treated at the Hospital 

Summary of Post Farm Products 

Hospital Fund Statement 

A Few Hospital Orders .... 

The Laboratory Report .... 



149 
150 
150 
150 
186 
189 
191 
211 



FOREWORD. 

To write a complete history of the Unit which went 
out from the New York Hospital to serve in the Great 
War would require superhuman genius. An all-seeing 
eye, an all-hearing ear, an ever-flowing pen and a sleep- 
less body would be only a partial equipment for the 
task. From the day that the organization mobilized 
until the time when it heard the joyful words, "Well 
done thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into 
the joys of civilian life" things were happening both 
day and night. Many of these things have never been 
recorded. Many were known only to a few, many are 
known only as rumors and many are family secrets 
and never should be told. However, some things 
should be known and these things the historian will 
record as facts in this book. 

The material has been gathered from personal 
observation and a "war regulation diary," from reports 
supplied by the heads of the different departments, 
from the file in the hospital office and from various 
memoranda that chanced into the writer's hand. 

To Dr. G. W. Zulauf, who assisted in the collecting 
of the material, and to Dr. Ralph Stillman, who read 
and offered valuable criticism and suggestions, I am 
deeply grateful. 

Raymond Shi land Brown. 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

The Officers l $ 

Some of the Nurses 2 4 

A Group of Nurses 2 5 

Some of our Nurses 2 ° 

The "Finland" 33 

Aboard the Transport 35 

The Montana 3° 

Some of the Officers (After School on the "Finland") . . 38 

Our Convoy 39 

Landing at St. Nazaire 4* 

Our Buildings at Savenay 44 

Parade Grounds at Savenay 4& 

The Court at Savena 49 

A Bird's-Eye View of Chateauroux 53 

Plans of the Hospital 54 

The Men at Inspection *>7 

Entrance to Base Hospital No. 9 5° 

A View of the Hospital from the Gate 

The Arrival of a French Train 6 4 

The Registrar's Office ° 7 

The X-Ray Room 6 9 

The Operating Room 

The Reconstruction Aides 

Reconstruction Work in the Wards 

In an Orthopedic Ward 

81 
Reconstruction Work 

82 
In the Orthopedic Workshop 



One of the Wards at Christmas 



85 



Scene at One of the Wards in 19 1 8 

Robin and His 'Imps' . " 9 ° 

vii 



vifi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

A View from the Entrance after the Barracks had been 

Built 92 

A Ward at Dinner 99 

A Funeral Parade 101 

The American Cemetery at Chateauroux 102 

Memorial Day Service, May, 19 18 103 

A Group at the Red Cross Hut 106 

The Pool Room A. R. C. Hut 107 

An Out-door Scene 108 

The Officer's Club 1 1 1 

The Nurse's Hut 112 

A Ward at Christmas . 115 

The Adjutant's Office . 118 

The Farm 121 

The Farm . 122 

The Laundry 127 

The Kitchen 129 

The Hospital from an Aeroplane 135 

The Laboratory 136 

A Class in the Working Room 139 

A Soldier Receiving the D. S. C 143 

The Chapel Altar 147 

The Curve of Patients in the Hospital 150 



HOSPITAL PERSONNEL. 
THE ORIGINAL UNIT. (OFFICERS) 

Capt. Arthur N. Tasker (Lt. Col.) M.C. U.S.A. 

Major Charles L. Gibson . . M.C. U.S.A. 

Major Eugene H. Pool (Lt. Col.) M.C. U.S.A. 

Capt. George W. Hawley (Lt. Col.) M.C U.S.A. 

Capt. James P. Erskine (Major) . M.C. U.S.A. 

Capt. G. W. Zulauf M.C. U.S.A. 

Capt. Francis W. Shine (Major) . M.C. U.S.A. 

Capt. William J. Elser (Lt. Col.) . M.C. U.S.A. 

Capt. Archibald H. Busby (Major) M.C. U.S.A. 
Capt. John D. Gould (Major) . > Q.M.C. U.S.A. 

Capt. Burton J. Lee (Lt. Col.) . ' M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. James M. Kent (Major) M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. P. A. Dineen . . . M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. Robert D. Schrock (Major) M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. Edward Cussler (Major) M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. Ralph G. Stillman (Major) M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. Richmond Stephens (Capt.) M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. Frank E. Adair (Capt.) . M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. Louis B. Chapman (Major) M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. F. J. Echeverria (Capt.) M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. Richard W. Bolling (Major) M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. Allison H. Dugdale . M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. Alexander Williamson M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. Thomas K. Davis (Capt.) M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. John B. Watson . . M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. Harry Bull .... M.C. U.S.A. 

Chaplain Raymond S. Brown . . C.C. U.S.A. 

9 



10 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

OFFICERS ADDED TO THE UNIT. 

ist Lieut. Charles L. Rudasill . M.C. U.S.A. 

Capt. H. V. Weihrauch (Major) . M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. M. H. Todd (Capt.) . M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. Cecil E. Johnson (Capt.) M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. A. M. MacDonald . . M.C. U.S.A. 

Capt. William M. Harrison . . M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. Thomas B. Rafferty . M.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. D. E. McKenna . . M.C. U.S.A. 

2nd Lieut. Roy R. Hall (ist Lieut.) Q.M.C. U.S.A. 

OFFICERS COMMISSIONED FROM ENLISTED 

PERSONNEL. 

ist Lieut. Gustav Hahn . . . S.C. U.S.A. 
ist Lieut. Robert T. Brogelman, 

Adjutant S.C. U.S.A. 

ist Lieut. John Lane, Registrar . S.C. U.S.A. 
2nd Lieut. W. G. Sharwell, Medical 

Supply Officer S.C. U.S.A. 

Master Hospital, Sgt. Edwin F. Fettinger 
Liaison Officer, Capt. A. Fondrevay Q.M.C. F.A. 

NURSES. 

Mary Vroom, Miss (Chief Nurse) 

Ada Pencheon, Miss (Chief Nurse — November i, 1918— 
March 1, 1919). 

Anstead, Ida J., Miss Anderberg, Ada M., Miss 

Adams, Gladys A., Miss Arnold, Hope, Miss 
Adams, Lutie M., Miss Bell, Frances, Miss 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 



11 



Bronson, Helen A., Miss 
Butler, Frances L., Miss 
Campbell, Florence, Miss 
Cox, Lois A., Miss 
Cameron, Mary M., Miss 
Cromwell, Robt. L., Miss 
Coddington, CaroIine,Miss 
Curley, Irene M., Miss 
Cooke, Genevieve, Miss 
Evans, Marie L., Miss 
Falconer, Marie K., Miss 
Frasius, Ruth, Miss 
Frasius, Marie, Miss 
Fennemore, Ethel, Miss 
Ferguson, Maud, Miss 
Green, Clara, Miss 
Gibson, Mildred, Miss 
Hay, Elizabeth G., Miss 
Hay, Catherine B., Miss 
Hubbard, Lena M., Miss 
Hair, Ella R., Mrs. 
Hafer, Jane, Miss 
Hamilton, Mary S., Miss 
Keator, Ann S., Miss 
Knudson, Mabel, Mrs. 
Kennedy, Kathleen, Miss 
Krans, Ella M., Miss 
Kribs, Viola, Miss 



Knight, Hortense, Miss 
Landon, Florence, Miss 
MacKay, Jean H., Miss 
Mackay, Margaret, Miss 
Morton, Gladys, Miss 
McNamara, Eleanor, Miss 
McBeth, Lillian, Miss 
McDougall, Olive, Miss 
Malmgren, Ella S., Miss 
Nicholson, Gladys, Miss 
Olmstead, Sarah C, Miss 
Peck, Anna V., Miss 
Peterson, Grace, Miss 
Reinhardt, Edith, Mrs. 
Ryan, Lulu B., Miss 
Robinson, Ethel E., Miss 
Smith, L.' Blanche, Miss 
Smith, Delphene E., Miss 
Smith, Verna Cecil, Miss 
Shaneman, Annie, Miss 
Tropp, Edna, Miss 
Towle, Maud A., Miss 
Thompson, Ethel R., Miss 
Tom, Mabel E., Miss 
VoIImer, Margaret E., Miss 
Woodward, Sarai, Miss 
Wilson, Nellie Gray, Miss 
Wilson, Lillian, Miss 



SECRETARIES. 



Freeman, Louise, Miss 
Prey, Nona D., Miss 
Boyce, Mary, Miss 
Skillen, Jane, Miss 



Yorke, Diana, Miss 
MacPhadyen, Margaret 

Mrs. (Dietitian) 
Sistrunk, Mary, Miss 



12 



THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 



RED CROSS UNIT. 

Capt. Douglas Laird Metcalf, Edith, Miss 

Capt. C. A. Arnett Wheeler, Anna, Miss 

Arnett, C. A., Mrs. Sloane, Berkeley, Miss 

Hall, Helen, Miss (In Ramsey, Harvey C, Mrs. 
charge Jan. i, 1919 to Tarpley, Roberta D., Miss 

June, 1919) McAllister, Ruby, Miss 

Gibbs, Mabel, Miss Joy, Helen, Miss, Y.W.C. A. 



ENLISTED MEN. 



Hahn, Gustav, M.H.S. 
Alexander, Alfred 
Allen, Norman 
Altfelix, John 
Atkinson, William H. 
Azzi, Marius A. 
Baker, Harold A. 
Barbieri, Bernard 
Beck, Albert 
Beck, Emil 
Bedijian, Edward G. 
Benjamin, Everett P. 
Benson, Carl T. 
Bimilere, Robert J. 
Blumenthal, George N. 
Brady, Edward A. 
Brainerd, George W. 
Braumiller, Chas. 
Brogelman, Robert 
Brophy, Francis X. 
Brown, Rodney A. 



Burley, Chester 
Campeau, Joseph J. 
Capen, Arthur N. B. 
Carlstrom, Victor 
Cheney, Edwin A. 
Chiljian, Henry B. 
Clark, Harold 
Clark, Herbert 
CoIIver, Julius P. 
Connelly, Joseph A. 
Corlett, Charles 
Cruikshank, Edwin A. 
Cuthbert, George K. 
Daggett, Floyd 
Dascal, Stephen 
Decker, Casper 
Dennis, Benjamin 
Dennis, Charles 
Downer, Ernest P. 
Duelly, Franklin A. 
Duncan, Vernon L. 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 



13 



Eliesku, Stephen 
Elkoff, Benjamin B. 
Enea, Charles 
Enowitz, Lewis L. 
Everett, Allen 
Fallon, John 
Fehling, Charles A. 
Feigenbutz, Herman 
Fettinger, Edwin S. 
Fredericks, Henry W. 
Freeman, W. R. 
Galligan, Chas. A. 
Geisman, Leon 
Gelhaus, Joseph 
Glenn, Thomas H. 
Goldstein, E. 
Gorden, George B. 
Gore, Samuel 
Graeser, Charles P. 
Greene, Arthur L. 
Griffin, Osmer 

Grossman, Henry 

Hall, Harold 

Hanly, Wm. L. 

Hansen, W. H. 

Harrigan, James D. 

Harris, Stanley E. 

Harrison, James R. 

Hart, Horace D. 

Hayhow, Edgar G. 

Hoey, Fred L. 

Hoffman, Elmer J. 

Holmnberg, John 

Hoist, William L. 



Howard, Frank 
Hull, Robert B. 
Jelley, Samuel 
Keeney, George N. 
Kelly, Gouveneur 
Kip, Sheppard J. 
Lamont, Wilbur J. 
Lane, John 
Lane, Robert D. 
Lane, Roger 
Law, William F. 
Lewis, Earle H. 
Lindsay, Maurice H. 
Livingston, John J. 
Lowry, Rudd 
Ludlow, Ralph A. 
Malone, William J. 
Mann, Harold E. 
Margules, Joseph J. 
Martin, Arthur 
Matthaei, Hans 
McHale, William P. 
Miller, John 
Morr, William E. 
Munk, Edward 
Newman, Sydney 
O'Donnell, Edward 
Oestreicher, Carl M. 
Oesterberry, Fred G. 
Otzen, Owen 
Paddock, Arthur K. 
Patrey, Harry 
Patterson, Fred A. 
Peniston, Denman 



14 



THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 



Penn, Clarence I. 
Pierce, Albert F. 
Plummer, Seney 
Powers, William J. 
Ramsdell, Edward 
Raynaud, Gabriel E. 
Rhoades, Herbert L. 
Rolston, Howard W. 
Rose, Charles 
Russo, Frank 
Samson, Edwin H. 
Schauf, Willis A. 
Schiller, Oscar L. 
Scholes, Walter 
Schultz, Walter A. 
Sharwell, William G. 
Shellhase, George 
Shiffert, John 
Sinuk, Aaron 
Sivewright, John M. 
Smith, Albert 



Smith, William 
Sortino, Gabriel 
Spitzer, Harry 
Statler, David C. 
Stobie, David M. 
Sullivan, George T. 
Sundberg, Ake R. O. 
Tamke, Fred W. 
Taylor, Elliott 
Thompson, Tracy E. 
Thorburn, Grant 
Tint, Allen B. 
Tomlinson, Harold W. 
Udell, Merton 
Vesey, Thomas 
Viola, Mariano 
Walker, Warren H. 
Weeks, William C. 
Wright, Ehrick 
Wunschell, Louis 
Wagner, Paul H. 



ENLISTED MEN ADDED TO THE UNIT. 



Baker, James 
Carney, John 
Cremmin, John F. 
Dohen, William H. 
Ellis, Frank 
Engle, Lawrence W. 
Faulkner, Landon R. 
Ferris, Robert W. 
Gregg, Robert W. 
Hohnberg, John E. 

Yanaway, 



Kren, George J. 
Larson, Ernest W. 
Lemke, Francis A. 
Morach, Albert 
Moore, David M. 
McCann, Michael J. 
McBride, Edward 
Nichols, Francis A. 
Schwartz, Abraham 
Willock, Charles A. 
Jacob F. 




15 



HISTORICAL DIARY. 
BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9 
A. E. F. 

July 21, 191 7. The organization was mobilized 
pursuant to Par. 1, S. O. 13, H. E. D., July 16, 1917; 
the officers and enlisted men on Governor's Island and 
the Nurses and Civilian Employees on Ellis Island. 
The personnel assembled was as follows: 

1 Officer M.C., U.S.A. 
24 Officers M.R.C., U.S.A. 
64 Nurses A.N.C., U.S.A. 

1 Officer Q.M.R.C. U.S.A. 

1 N.C.O., U.S.A. 

150 Enlisted men, E.R.C., U.S.A. 

August 7, 191 7. The organization boarded the 
U. S. C. T. Finland in accordance with telegraphic 
instructions (Gvt No. 367), A. G., July 13, 191 7, and 
sailed for France. 

August 20, 191 7. Arrived at St. Nazaire, France. 

August 21, 191 7. Proceeded to Savenay, the en- 
listed men with three officers on foot, the nurses and 
the remainder of the officers by train. At Savenay, 
quarters were furnished with Base Hospital No. 8, 
which was stationed there. 

16 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 17 

September 2, 191 7. Ten officers and j$ men left 
for Chateauroux where they began the work of pre- 
paring the hospital buildings for occupation. 

September 7, 19 17. The nurses and the remainder 
of the officers and men proceeded to Chateauroux by 
train in accordance with telephonic instructions, Hdq., 
Base Section No. 1, A. E. F., Sept. 5, 1917. 

September 14, 19 17. The first group of officers left 
for temporary duty with the B. E. F. During the 
following three or four months, similar groups of two 
officers each, followed each other at intervals of about 
two weeks, each group starting out at about the time 
that its predecessor was returning. During this period 
also several officers were absent at different times on 
detached duty with the French army. 

September 15, 19 17. The first patient was ad- 
mitted to the hospital. 

October 1,1917. During the month of September, 
tentative plans for the enlargement and alteration of 
the hospital plant were completed and at the end of 
this month a detachment of about forty engineers 
arrived to begin the work. This detachment was later 
augmented by a small detachment of infantry which 
was ordered away before the completion of the work. 
The work continued as steadily as the arrival of ma- 
terials would permit for a period of about six months. 
It involved the making of innumerable repairs, a 
thorough overhauling of the heating system, marked 
enlargement of the water supply and sewage disposal 
plants, the erection of some fourteen isolated barracks 



18 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

and eleven others which were combined to form the 
admission building, the installation of the X-ray plant 
and the enlargement of the electrical system. 

November 14, 191 7. The force of enlisted men 
was increased by 25. 

January i, 19 18. Census of patients, 226. 

January 14, 19 18. The first hospital train arrived 
at this hospital, bringing 94 patients from St. Nazaire. 
The train itself was a French one. This raised the 
census of patients to 413. 

February i, 19 18. The cases in the hospital have 
been chiefly medical diseases, especially the contagious 
diseases — mumps, measles, German measles, scarlet 
fever and diphtheria. All have been of the ordinary 
type except the measles, which has shown a marked 
tendency to be complicated with or followed by broncho- 
pneumonia of an especially virulent variety. During 
the month of January alone there were thirteen deaths 
from this cause. Clinically these cases were marked 
by great dyspnea and cyanosis and severe toxemia. 
At autopsy the areas of consolidation were very small 
and numerous and in practically every case there was 
suppurative inflammation of one or more of the acces- 
sory sinuses of the skull. Major Elser was unable to 
complete his bacteriologic investigation of this disease 
on account of his detachment from this organization, 
but was able to isolate a streptococcus, a member of 
the influenza group and a member of the group of 
gram-negative cocci, which occurred, one or more in 
each case. It was not possible to devise any effective 
therapeutic measures. 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 19 

February 3, 1918. Major Charles L. Gibson, the 
Director of the Unit, sailed from France, having been 
ordered back to the United States because of the need 
for his services at the Cornell Medical School in the 
Department of Surgery. 

February 14, 1918. Major William J. Elser was 
detached from this organization to become an assist- 
ant to the Director of the Division of Laboratories 
(CoI.Siler). 

February 15, 19 18. First issue of Nine Times. 
Favorably received by New York Press. 

March 31, 191 8. Arrival of hospital train bring- 
ing first group of wounded, from Montdidier section. 

April 30, 1918. During this month, the detach- 
ment of engineers, which had been working at this post 
for the past six months or so, completed their work and 
departed. 

May 31, 191 8. A device for automatically chlori- 
nating the water supplied to this post with liquid 
chlorine was installed and put into operation. This 
was done in spite of the fact that the sand filter beds 
were furnishing a water of fairly good quality, as chlori- 
nation would furnish an added safeguard and assure 
safety from any water borne infection. 

June 19, 19 18. Lt. Col. Arthur N. Tasker was 
relieved of his position as Commanding Officer and left 
to take up his duties in the office of the Chief Surgeon, 
Intermediate Section, S. O. S., as Sanitary Inspector. 
Major George Hawley became Commanding Officer. 



20 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

June 24, 19 18. The personnel of the organization 
was enlarged by the arrival of 55 enlisted men. 

July i, 19 18. Census of patients 1050. 

July 10, 19 18. During the past few days there has 
reached this post the first cases of the epidemic of so- 
called "Spanish Influenza" or "three day fever" which 
has been so widespread. The following note was made 
by Major Edward Cussler: "Cases of epidemic fever, 
average duration three to four days, chief symptoms 
general pains and aching in the back, loss of appetite, 
headache, with catarrhal symptoms. The course of 
the disease is mild. No fatalities have occurred. The 
cases have been isolated. Similar cases have come 
from the various organizations in the immediate vicin- 
ity." About 60% of the organization were attacked 
by the disease. 

August 2, 191 8. There arrived at this hospital 
an American hospital train which brought 424 patients 
and raised the census of patients to 2106. In order to 
aid in the provision of space for these patients a detach- 
ment of engineers was hurriedly sent from Montier- 
chaume and erected four new barracks. 

August 15, 19 18. The insufficiency of the sewage 
disposal plant had been obvious for some time. The 
trouble had been increased by the condition of the con- 
tact beds which had become clogged and had suffered 
breaches in their walls. A detachment from an En- 
gineers Service Battalion was sent down from Montier- 
chaume to clean out these contact beds and make such 
alteration as might bring about an increase in their 
efficiency. A laundry was built by the Quarter- 
master corps in the building near the filter bed, in the 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 21 

hope that it would be running in about two or three 
weeks. This would relieve the contact bed of handling 
all the effluent from the small laundry which was situ- 
ated on the post and which drained into one of the 
septic tanks. The septic tanks were insufficient to take 
care of the sewage from the post, but it was possible to 
have them cleaned rather often and their contents 
taken over by the French contractor and spread upon 
plowed ground. 

September 5, 19 18. Sharp, severe hail and wind 
storm blew down the roof of the gallery in front of 
Ward 1 1, and filled several of the barracks with water, 
notably those in which the enlisted men slept. 

October 10, 19 18. First consignment of 73 pa- 
tients were sent down to the Ecole Normale which had 
been fitted up as an annex to the hospital. The 
purpose was to use this annex for patients who needed 
comparatively little medical care, expecting to increase 
the total hospital capacity by about 200 beds. 

October 15, 1918. Major Archibald H. Busby 
left the post having been ordered back to the United 
States on duty. He had been acting as Assistant to 
the Commanding Officer and as Mess Officer in addi- 
tion to being in charge of the X-ray Department. 

November i, 19 18. During the month of October 
there were admitted to the hospital a large number of 
cases of broncho-pneumonia occurring chiefly as a 
complication of a prevalent epidemic of influenza. 
It was a very severe infection and twenty-eight autop- 
sies were done on cases that had died from this disease. 
The principal bacteriologic finding was the pneumococ- 



22 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

cus in the lung, although some of the cases seemed to 
be due to the hemolytic streptococcus. The patho- 
logic lesions were those of the ordinary lobular pneu- 
monia though the extent of the consolidation was often 
unusually large. By the end of the month the ad- 
missions for influenza and for broncho-pneumonia were 
decreasing and it seemed as though the epidemic 
might be passing off. The majority of the cases came 
from the various organizations stationed at Montier- 
chaume. An observation of Capt. Cussler's should be 
noted. "Very few cases have occurred in our own 
command. Since this is very different from the experi- 
ence of other organizations in this vicinity it seems 
possible that the epidemic of influenza, which at- 
tacked so many members of this command about three 
or four months ago (see note of July 10, 191 8) was due 
to the same organism as the present epidemic, and that 
it left behind it sufficient immunity to protect against 
infection at this time. The pneumococcus and the 
streptococcus are apparently secondary infections. " 

December 27, 191 8. Major Edward Cussler, who 
had been in charge of the Medical Department of the 
Hospital, and Major Ralph Stillman, Chief of the 
Laboratory, ordered back to the United States for 
duty. 

January i, 19 19. Lt. Col. George W. Hawley 
ordered to the United States for duty at the Polyclinic 
Hospital. Major James P. Erskine became Command- 
ing Officer. 

January 4, 19 19. Base Hospital 63 arrived under 
the command of Col. Charles Wilcox. 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 23 

January 14, 19 19. The Hospital was officially 
turned over to Base Hospital No. 63. There were 559 
patients under our care at that time. 

January 25, 19 19. Went on Priority sailing list 
in the Chief Surgeon's Office. 

February 10, 19 19. Dismissed from duty in the 
A. E. F. 

March 5, 19 19. Left Chateauroux for Nantes as 
per S. O. 55 Par. 5 Hdqrs. S. O. S. 

March 16, 19 19. Nurses sailed from Brest on the 
Leviathan. 

April 5, 19 19. All but five officers detached and 
sent to Brest. They sailed on the George Washington 
April 8, 19 1 9. 

April ii, 19 19. Organization left Vallet for St. 
Nazaire. 

April 14, 19 19. Organization went aboard the 
Princess Mitoika as per S. O. 103, Par. 22 Hq. Emb. 
Camp. 

April 16, 19 19. Sailed from France. 

April 27, 19 19. Landed at Newport News, Va., 
and proceeded to Camp Hill. 

May 3, 19 19. Went aboard the steamer Jamestown 
to sail for New York. 

May 4, 19 19. Landed in New York. 

May 5, 19 19. Moved to Camp Upton, where the 
organization was discharged from the service. 







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26 



CHAPTER 1. 
Genesis. 

The Unit had its birth in those days when the coun- 
try had not yet heard the call of war. There was much 
talk of preparedness but little was being done to give 
one the feeling of national security should we be drawn 
into the European conflict. The American Red Cross 
had offered (International Red Cross Convention, 1906, 
Article 10) to render aid to the land and naval forces in 
any time of emergency. On April 24th, 1912, by an 
act of Congress, the necessary authority was granted. 
Definite steps were then taken, and the Department of 
Military Relief was created (December 8th, 1915). 
This included the Bureau of Medical Service, the 
Bureau of Nursing Service and the Bureau of Supplies. 
Col. Jefferson R. Kean, M.C. U.S.A. was the Director 
General. 

Col. Kean began to organize Base Hospital Units, 
believing they would be urgently needed should war be 
declared. His plan was to go to the civil hospitals of 
large size and activity and organize from their staffs 
of physicians and nurses, units in which the individuals 
knew each other and were accustomed to work together 
and could thus be expected to do team work from the 
beginning. Such hospitals would have five hundred 
beds and a personnel of about two hundred. About 
$35,000 would be necessary for medical equipment. 

The Board of Governors of the New York Hospital 
were invited to form such an organization from its 

27 



28 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

professional and administrative staff. The invitation 
was met with an enthusiastic and prompt response; 
and plans were soon made to enlist the medical per- 
sonnel and to provide a full equipment of hospital and 
medical supplies which would be packed and stored so 
as to be available for shipment the instant that the 
hospital should be ordered into service. The following 
donors and donations helped to make the equipment 
complete : 

George F. Baker $25,000 . 00 

Cornelius N. Bliss Memorial Fund.. . . 10,000.00 

Mr. and Mrs. Henry W. Scoville 1,000.00 

E. C. Converse 2,500 . 00 

Thomas F. Ryan 500 . 00 

George C. Clark 100 . 00 

F. Augustus Schermerhorn 500 . 00 

Mrs. Patrick A. Valentine 1,000.00 

William Bruce Brown. 500 . 00 

Thomas F. Clark 250 . 00 

Dr. Charles L. Gibson 50 . 00 

Dr. William L. Culbert 26 . 25 

Mrs. Chas. E. Farr 2 . 50 

Miss Elizabeth Whitman 500 . 00 

Dr. Allen M. Thomas 15.00 

Miss Diana Yorke 100 . 00 

Mrs. Allen M. Thomas 50 . 00 

A. Wright Post 210 . 00 

Ambulance — Colonial Dames of America 
Ambulance — N. Y. Produce Exchange 
Ambulance — American Red Cross 

Motor Cycle — Mrs. E. H. Harris 
Motor Cycle — Miss Clarkson 
Motor Truck— Mr. Dillon 
Motor Truck— Fox Hills Golf Club 
Disinfecting Outfit — American Red Cross 
Kitchen Outfit — American Red Cross 
Dressings and supplies — Women's War Auxiliary of 
New York Hospital 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 29 

Four Flags — Mrs. Richard Trimble 

Comfort bags for officers — Mrs. H. C. Coe 

Knitting machine and 500 mosquito bars — Miss Helen 

Frick 
35. sweaters — Navy League Comforts Committee 
2 sweaters — Miss Katherine L. Heard 
Fund of $2,000 for nurses from Women's Auxiliary of 

Social Service, New York Hospital. 
The Chaplain's Equipment — Calvary Episcopal Church 
An Altar Outfit — Mr. and Mrs. George Zabriskie 

When the subject was placed before the staff they 
were all eager to enroll. However, only a limited 
number was required for the Unit, so a selection had 
to be made. The Governors decided it wisest "to 
choose the members from the oldest and the youngest 
members, leaving the intermediate members, such as 
the associate surgeons and physicians, to conduct the 
Hospital service." By June 15th, 191 6, the organiza- 
tion was effected and became subject to call by the 
War Department. 



CHAPTER II. 
Exodus. 

The call did not come for a year. The Unit did not 
take a more definite form until after the United States 
entered the war in April, 191 7. Then other steps were 
taken to perfect the organization. The personnel was 
assembled and the providing of the equipment com- 
pleted. Everyone was ready to move on a short notice 
and the supplies could be taken aboard ship within a 
few hours. 

On July 2 1 st, 191 7, the organization, which was 
called U. S. A. Base Hospital Number 9, was mobilized 
pursuant to Par. 1 S. O. No. 13 H. E. D. July 16th, 
19 1 7. The officers and enlisted men went to Governor's 
Island while the nurses and civilian employees spent 
their days on Ellis Island. Captain Arthur N. Tasker, 
M.C. U.S.A., was the Commanding Officer and Major 
Charles L. Gibson, M.C. U.S.R., through whose efforts 
the Unit was made possible, was the Director. The 
personnel at that time consisted of 27 officers, 1 non- 
commissioned officer, 64 nurses, 5 civilian secretaries, 
and 150 enlisted men. These were now to be initiated 
into the mystic rites which belong only to service life. 
They were to unlearn many lessons taught them in 
democratic civilian life, and were to devote themselves 
to discipline and duty. But above all, they were to 
lose themselves in a great cause and find themselves 
serving their God, their country and humanity through 
their organization. 

30 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 31 

But those days on the Islands will never be forgotten. 
In one respect the nurses were the more fortunate, for 
none of their number had ever been to Fort Benjamin 
Harrison — yet in later days they were given the 
privilege of sharing in the knowledge which certain 
members of the staff assimilated there. It was here 
that the men were provided with their uniforms. 
Brooks Brothers latest were discarded and the nearest 
fitting model of khaki put on. Silk shirts became wool- 
en and patent leather shoes became hob-nails. Life 
took on a new aspect. Artistic souls could be seen 
policing the barracks, clerks were washing mess kits, 
salesmen became stevedores and the professional men 
were doing K. P. And they all did it as if they were 
winning the war. Here they learned that reveille 
meant to get up and answer roll call and that taps 
meant that they must be in bed. This was difficult for 
some who had been accustomed to go to bed nearer 
reveille time. But as far as the officers ever heard 
the men never confused the calls after the first few days!! 

Those were hot days. Never before nor since has 
the sun sent down such volumes of heat in one place. 
One wouldn't have minded it so much if ''the powers 
that were" had been contented to allow one to become 
familiar with the uniform. But, no, one was in the 
army, and one must know it. Therefore there was 
school, there were drills, there were assemblies, and 
there were inspections. But the drills! The eternal 
question was: "Why should doctors drill?" This was 
never really answered until one day, months later, a 
certain prominent surgeon — in fact the one who taught 
them on the Island — brought a patient into the operat- 
ing room on a litter and had the orderlies there make 
the transfer to the table in due and true military fashion. 



32 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

Anyway squads east and right oblique were done every 
morning until Coke Williamson looked like a West 
Point graduate. 

Those were the days of good-byes and best wishes. 
Every night the thought would be "this is the last 
night home" and the best use was always made of 
it. Then in the morning came the heart-aches and the 
partings. The next evening the hero would return 
home and go through the same emotional process. One 
morning the Unit nearly sailed and the relatives were 
told about it that night. However, orders finally came 
and very early on the morning of August 7th, 191 7, the 
officers and men left Governor's Island on a barge. The 
nurses went aboard at Ellis Island; the entire Unit went 
to Pier 11, North River, where the U. S. C. T. Finland 
was ready to sail for France. 




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CHAPTER III. 
What Happened on the "Finland." 

It was a strange looking crowd that went aboard 
the Finland that day. The men were weighted down 
under their equipment and blanket rolls, and fairly 
staggered up the gang-plank. Soon all the troops and 
the baggage were aboard and at one o'clock the ship 
left the pier. We soon found that a regiment of the 
i st Engineers under the command of Col. Mason 
Patrick and U. S. A. Base Hospital No. 8 under the 
command of Major Siler, were to be our traveling com- 
panions. All were ordered below decks so that spying 
enemy eyes would think that this steamer was going 
to Europe empty. As most of the crowd had break- 
fasted — better termed "messed" — at 3.30 a.m. they 
were ready for dinner. This came within the course 
of the next few hours. At 2.30, the ship passed 
Quarantine and soon dropped anchor. Then Dame 
Rumor had it that we should lie there for at least three 
days and possibly longer, but as the sun faded from the 
horizon, then went the rumor to rest for the ship began 
to move. Her nose was pointed toward the sea, and 
at 10.15 she dropped the pilot and we were on our way 
to France. 

Life on a transport is neither comfortable nor 
pleasurable. The men are packed down into the 
bowels of the liner. They sleep in bunks three tiers 
high and keep all their belongings with them. All goes 

34 




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BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 37 

well as long as all keep well. Fortunately the ocean 
was like an inland lake when we crossed. Baths were 
taken every morning on the well deck. A sailor would 
play his hose on a hundred or more slippery wriggling 
men. It was not half bad. Deck chairs were left 
behind because those in charge of the transport knew 
that they would never be used. From reveille until 
taps one was kept on the move. There was school and 
boat drill, calisthenics and boat drill, French lessons 
and boat drill, inspection and boat drill. Then there 
would be boat drill during the relaxing period and 
sometimes between courses at dinner. 

The medical officers felt that now that Governor's 
Island was left behind, they would have time to 
think of war surgery and just how calmly and cleverly 
they would remove foreign bodies under shell fire. 
But not so. They were summoned to the upper deck 
every morning after breakfast. Heje litter drill held 
the attention. Once or twice it was found that the 
instruction book was wrong so our Major invented a 
better way of doing it! Then they were thrilled by the 
reading of the Articles of War! Next day they built an 
operating room and equipped it. There had been 
several abdominal pains among the men before this 
was completed, but it was a sure cure of all ills. Major 
Gibson held a French class which gave all not only a 
speaking acquaintance with the language, but also a 
knowledge of what to do on a visit to Paris ! 

Every evening there was some kind of entertain- 
ment — a boxing match, a vaudeville show or a minstrel 
show. The nurses of Base Hospital No. 9 burlesqued 
the life on the Finland which caused so much merri- 
ment and applause that the Captain of the ship had to 
call from the bridge "less noise. " After the entertain- 




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40 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

ment hour, life took on a dull aspect. There was no 
smoking; the nurses went to bed at 8.30, and there 
were no lights on the ship. Everybody went to bed 
in the dark, and many mornings toward the end of the 
trip, got up in the same inky blackness. Will we ever 
forget those terrible nights with four in a state room 
and no port hole open? 

But it was a happy voyage and everyone laughed 
at the hardships and discomforts. Even the chaplains 
overcame the lack of space for services by standing on 
the poop-deck and conducting the worship through 
a megaphone so that all the decks could take part. 
There was a feeling of security because of the other 
ships in the convoy — the Henderson, the San Jacinto, 
the Antilles, with the cruiser Montana, and two 
destroyers. However we learned that in case of attack 
we were not as safe as we thought. And that brings 
me to the submarine battle. This attack has been the 
cause of endless debate. All who were on the ship 
that day believed and knew that there were submarines 
trying to sink us. Erskine and others saw them. Then 
suddenly the analytic Elser began to ask questions, and 
the number of eye witnesses to the periscope began to 
dwindle. After many evenings of discussion and debate 
(many of which took place in the dormitory where 
some wanted to sleep) it was decided that the United 
States was not prepared for war. But this is what 
happened before the debate took place. 

It was a beautiful day. Belle He en Mer had just 
been sighted and everyone gave a sigh of relief after 
the days of anxiety. The life preserver, which had 
been our constant companion for days and nights, 
would soon be discarded. Some even decided that 
this was the time to go down and bathe and be ready 




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42 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

to go ashore. The enchanted land lay before us and 
troubles behind us. Just as we were peacefully con- 
tented the "abandon ship" whistle began to blow and 
our port gun began to boom. The ships cut circles 
and scattered like a flock of frightened sheep. Every- 
one on board took his position near his life boat. The 
guns of the other ships commenced firing. Our ship 
would turn so sharply that we would feel her keel over. 
As one who watched the Finland wrote.* "But what 
impressed us most — we almost laughed to see her — 
was the lubber of the fleet. She was twice the tonnage 
of most of us, and early in the run across, she had 
brought anguish to our souls by the way she lagged. 
She had not enough men in her steam department to 
keep her engines warm, so she reported, f But now 
she had steam enough. She was wide and high, a huge 
bulk of a ship, and here she was now charging at the 
place where a U-boat had just submerged. " 

In the midst of it all, there was a terrific b-o-o-m, 
and the old ship shuddered and shook. The one 
thought in every mind was that we had been hit by a 
torpedo. But some had seen a column of solid white 
water shoot straight up beside the destroyer, and they 
knew it was the impact from a depth bomb. The 
fight lasted forty minutes. Every ship had something 
to say with its guns and kept up an incessant maneuver- 
ing at close quarters. But there was no disorder. All 
were calm and quiet and manifested the greatest 
interest in the struggle that was being staged. It was 
their first experience under fire and was to be the last 
for a great many of them. As the firing ceased, the 
French airplanes came out bringing a welcome and the 

* Collier's Weekly, October 20th, 191 7. 

f We had stopped in mid-ocean to take on extra help from the 
Montana. 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 43 

assurance of safety. We were told that our ship was 
credited with one submarine and the destroyer that 
dropped the depth bomb got the other. How many 
there were off Belle He that morning nobody knows. 
A writer in the Nine Times says "the air was full of 
them." 

We landed that afternoon (August 20th, 191 7) at 
St. Nazaire, France, and the next day proceeded to 
Savenay, where we were quartered with Base Hospital 
No. 8, better known as the Post Graduate Unit. 




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CHAPTER IV. 
Savenay. 

Savenay was a quiet Brittany town when the two 
New York City Units, Base Hospitals No. 8 and No. 9 
arrived there on that August day. One year later, it 
was to be the biggest medical center in France. Other 
hospital units were to be located there and a large 
number of sick and wounded men were to pass that 
way on their journey to America. The three stone 
buildings which had been a normal school were simply 
to be the beginning of the work, which in a few months 
would be surrounded by a city of modern barracks, — a 
city which would have all the modern conveniences and 
appliances. 

But Base Hospital No. 9 was not to be located 
there. Major Gibson said good-bye to us on the 
Finland and started for Paris to see the Chief Surgeon. 
In a few days he sent back word that we were to move 
on and that Base Hospital No. 8 was to start the work 
at Savenay. We were delighted because we thought 
we would be nearer the front, and anyway we wanted 

to move. 

The men started the days at Savenay by hiking 
from the ship to the post. It was about fourteen miles, 
but as they had never done any hiking or long marching, 
many of them were forced to remain quiet for several 
days after. Then began police duty, and guard duty, 
and regular army life and discipline. 

The officers here learned to be Officer of the Day. 

45 




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BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 47 

Many would be interested to see some of these medical 
men going about their duty in a military manner, 
carrying guns and looking quite warlike. Each used 
his individual salute and thought well of it. Whether 
he faced the music or the flag at retreat depended 
on the individual temperament. Major Cussler did it 
both ways. Whether the men should stand at salute 
in ranks, or simply stand at attention depended on the 
visiting General — or the result of the debate in Elser's 
room the previous evening. Busby would teach them 
one thing one day, the next day he would alter it; and 
then the C. O. would decide that it should be done 
another way. Yet it was a subject of debate for weeks 
and almost any time one could hear issuing from the 
officers , quarters: "Now, Archie, don't you remember 
at Fort Benjamin Harrison when I stood in the parade 

as the Colonel passed" "Yes, Gene, but you did it 

this way" — ad inf. 

Although we were waiting for orders to move, no 
member of the Unit was idle. This was the schedule 
as worked out by our superiors: 





Schedule for Officers. 


7.00 


Breakfast 


8.00-8.50 


Instruction — Army Regulations — Lt. 




Boiling 


9.00-9.30 


~ . . { Major Pool 
Setting up Exerc.ses| CaptBusby 


10.00-10.50 


Instruction — Capt. Busby 


1 1. 00-11.45 


Drill — Capt. Kent 


12.00 


Lunch 


I.3O-2.3O 


Drill— Lt. Boiling 


2.3O-5.OO 


French (usually assimilated) 


5.00 


Supper 



48 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

Schedule jor Nurses. 

6.45 Breakfast 

8.30- 9.20 Instruction 
9.30-10.00 Setting up Exercises 

Capt. Hawley 



10. 30-1 1.20 


Instruction * 


t^apt. btmma 
Capt. Cussler 


12.00 


Lunch 


*i-30- 2.00 


Drill — Capt. Busby 


2.30- 5.00 


French 





5.00 Supper 



Schedule jor Enlisted Men. 

5.45 First Call 

6.00 Reveille 

6.15 Assembly 

6.30- 6.45 Setting up Exercises 

6.45 Breakfast 

_ t • 1 Capt. Erskine 

8.30-Q.20 Instruction 1 T • t c u T 
^ I Lieut, bchrock 

' . TT f Lieut. Dugdale 
Q.^0-10.20 Drill \ T • ta • 
^ ? { Lieut. Davis 

10. 30-1 1.30 Instruction — Capt. Lee 

12.00 Lunch 

1.30 Sick Call 

2.00- 4.00 Drill — Major Pool 

4.30 First Call 

4.40 Assembly 

4.45 Retreat 

5.00 Supper 

* One should see this to appreciate it fully. Yet we mustn't blame 
Archie even though he gave some strange commands. 




49 



50 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

In the evening long walks were taken through the 
country, or some entertainment took place at the post. 
Those were the days when an officer if he wanted to 
go out with one nurse had to ask two — one to talk to, 
and the other to chaperon him. Yet much progress 
was made "engineerically speaking/' 

But the chief trial and tribulation of all and I say 
all advisedly was the censorship of the mail. The 
Chaplain was made Censor, and the Commanding 
Officer provided him with scissors, indelible ink, and 
a brush, and the necessary authority to read and strike 
out any information that was interesting. He spent 
hours those first days reading and cutting, and by 
night he dreamed of information that had slipped his 
notice. Many letters were badly mutilated for which 
he sincerely apologizes now, but then he believed that 
all army orders were to be interpreted literally. Cen- 
sorship became less irksome for all in later days. But 
one must ask the nurses just how it was done. Perhaps 
their feeling during the Savenay days is expressed in 
their song entitled "Somewhere in France" sung to 
the tune of Tipperary. 



SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE. 

The good ship Finland brought us over 

Cross the deep blue sea. 

We ploughed right through the submarines, 

They jumped around like fleas. 

But when we got to St. Nazaire 

We all sent forth a yell 

Because we came to Savenay 

To wait here for a spell. 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 51 

Chorus. 

It's no effort to write a letter, 

For there's nothing to say. 

We're not coming nor are we going, 

We just drill or hike all day. 

Potatoes, rice and onions 

Then on gateaux take a chance, 

So to celebrate we have this Field Day, 

We're "Somewhere in France." 

Each morn we get up early 

In response to bugle sound. 

We eat, make beds and shine the ward, 

Then forth to school we bound. 

We learn about the wriggley bugs 

That chase disease away, 

And try to look intelligent 

At bone anatome. 

Chorus. 

There is a "Vroomer" now about 

We're soon to go away. 

It may be Chateauroux we hear, 

And start most any day. 

We're sad to leave this happy home, 

Our thanks we hereby give 

To P. G. Unit No. 8, 

They're great, long may they live. 

Chorus. 

The Unit will always have pleasant memories of 
the hospitality which Col. Siler and the members of 



52 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

Base Hospital No. 8 extended. Everything was done 
for our comfort and every possible courtesy was shown. 
We owe them a debt of gratitude. 

Our orders finally came to go to Chateauroux, in 
the Department of Indre. On September 2d, 19 17, 
the first American troops ever to be in that department 
arrived — the advance guard of our hospital consisting 
of 10 officers and 75 men. On September 7th, the rest 
of the officers with the nurses and men reached there. 
Then began the real life of Base Hospital No. 9 in 
France. 







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PLAN OF HOSPITAL WHEN WE ARRIVED 




THE HOSPITAL WHEN IT WAS COMPLETED 



54 



CHAPTER V. 
The Formative Days. 

The hospital was located in a place known as Bitray, 
about one mile and half from Chateauroux. Chateau- 
roux was the capital of the department, in pre-war 
days a manufacturing city of about 23,000 inhabitants. 
The buildings which were designated for our use had 
been originally built for an insane asylum and were 
known as "Maison de Sante." Before their comple- 
tion, the war came and the entire plant was used as a 
Base Hospital, and called by the French "Hopital 
Complementaire 25." There were thirty-four buildings 
constructed of brick and stucco, with a capacity of 
five hundred beds. They were all adapted to hospital 
purposes, and very few changes had to be made. Be- 
side the buildings there were twenty acres of land which 
were turned over for our use. 

Our problem was to use the space to the best ad- 
vantage. As it was to be a war hospital, the surgeons 
naturally chose the majority of the buildings. The 
medical men contended that disease was as deadly a 
foe to an army as the enemy bullet. The "orthopods" 
argued that at least they must have a place for those 
men who through hiking had contracted a morbid 
condition of the foot in which the arch is destroyed. 
All were agreed on the place for the laboratory, the 
operating rooms and the chapel. But after several 
officers' meetings, space was allotted to all— the medical 
men getting most of it the first winter. 

55 



56 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

The buildings had to be cleaned, so the nurses and 
men cleaned them. Then beds had to be put in. 
Here let me quote the Nine Times. "And we 
learned the Boiling method of bed carrying, i.e. the 
frame in the right hand, the spring in the left and the 
mattress held between the teeth. Then to our horror 
we were told that we must unlearn the Boiling system 
of bed carrying and acquire the Cromwell Chapman 
method, in which the mattress is held under the left 
arm and it is the spring which is carried between the 
teeth. At last there came a day when there was one 
bed which could not be placed in eight different wards, 
for we had caught a patient and it was occupied." 
The reason for the constant moving of beds was due 
to the keen desire of certain individuals to know the 
exact floor and air space of the buildings, with each 
calculation a bed was moved and another put in its 
place. 

While all this was going on the men were doing 
guard duty and learning the intricacies of litter drill. 
(This drill when it was perfected was used once — not 
on patients — when an inspecting officer asked for it. 
Kent will never forget that day.) The nurses between 
bed makings, drilled under the direction of Major 
Pool and Lieut. Davis. (This class came to an end when 
Pool went to the British front.) The officers spent 
the day in discussing plans and the evening in solving 
such problems as "Who has control of the air?" or 
"What nation leads the world in everything?" (This 
was usually a monologue — in military parlance, "a gas 
attack.") Nothing tangible ever came from the night 
sessions; but from the day meetings, plans were made 
for additional barracks, an admission ward, and a 
system for admitting patients. 




57 




58 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 59 

On September 15th, the first patient was admitted. 
A telegram came in the morning that one of the men 
of the 1 st Engineers had fallen and fractured his femur 
and would arrive at Chateauroux about eleven o'clock 
that night. Everybody worked all day getting ready 
for him. The C. O. designated nurses and orderlies 
for the ward, an extra guard to go with the ambulance 
to the station, Stephens, Schrock and Adair to be there 
to work on him, and a full registrar's staff to work 
that night. Moreover, he would be there himself. 
Thus was the patient received. 

During this period the C. O. found it necessary to 
go to Paris. This made our Director, Major Gibson, 
the Commanding Officer of the Post. To show how 
happy we all were to have him in command, a dance 
and reception was given in his honor. As the Major 
had not yet established himself in his quarters at the 
hospital, it was planned that a committee should 
welcome him that evening as he entered the gates. 
Major Elser was asked to make the speech of welcome. 
About 8.30, Major Gibson drew up in a sea-going 
hack. As he stepped out Elser began — "Major Gib- 
son, it gives me great- pleasure " — Major Gibson walks 
away and wrangles with the cocher over the fare. 
This settled, Elser begins again, "Major Gibson, it 
gives me great pleasure to" — Major Gibson thinks of 
something else to tell the cocher and he begins a 
torrent of French. As it was apparently settled now, 
Elser begins once more "Major Gibson, it gives me 
great pleasure" — Major Gibson realizes that some- 
thing is happening and that Elser is talking, so he takes 
him by the hand and says, "That's all right, old man, 
that's all right." That well prepared speech of affec- 
tion has never been delivered. 



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BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 61 

During these days much time was devoted to the 
learning of the French language. The Dezert sisters 
were constantly in company with the members of the 
Unit. When the lessons were over the result was 
practiced on the people in the town. One of the 
surgeons who was always happy and had the faculty 
of spreading that warmth of contentment to those 
whom he met, tried to tell one of the shop girls in the 
Grand Magasin (Wanamaker's) how happy he was 
to be in France. He began "je suis tres joli" and 
stopped. The shop girl smiled and said, "Oui, mon- 
sieur." Thinking that she did not fully understand he 
separated his remark emphasizing "joli." Again po- 
litely she said "Oui, monsieur." The next day when 
he took his lesson he found that "joli" did not mean 
happy. Americans in France did strange things to 
the language yet the response was always polite. 
Perhaps they laughed when they were alone. 

During the month of September, tentative plans 
for the enlargement and alteration of the hospital 
plant were completed, and at the end of the month a 
detachment of forty engineers, under the command of 
Lieut. Edward Duff, E.C. U.S.A., arrived to begin the 
work. The detachment was later augmented by a 
small detachment of infantry, which was ordered away 
before the completion of the work. The construction 
continued as steadily as the arrival of materials would 
permit. It involved the making of innumerable repairs, 
a thorough overhauling of the heating system, marked 
enlargement of the water supply and sewage disposal 
plants, the erection of some fourteen barracks to be 
used as wards and eleven others which were combined 
to form the admission building, the installation of the 
X-ray plant, and the enlargement of the electrical system. 



62 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

During this time patients were being admitted, 
mostly medical, a large number contagious, and a few 
civil surgical cases. The officers were being sent to 
the British front in teams to observe their hospitiliza- 
tion. Some of the nurses and orderlies were working 
in French hospitals along the lines. By the early part 
of 19 1 8 the capacity of the hospital was increased to 
2250 beds. In the days to come all of these beds were 
to be occupied. 



CHAPTER VI. 
" When a Train Came In. " 

On January 14th, 191 8, the first hospital train 
arrived, bringing 94 patients from St. Nazaire. These 
were mostly medical cases that would be ready for 
service at the front within a few weeks. It gave us a 
total of 413 patients at that time. 

It was about this time that the Unit suffered the 
loss of Major Gibson. He was ordered to the States 
to take up his work at the New York Hospital and at 
the Cornell Medical School where he^ became head of 
the Department of Surgery. His going was keenly 
felt by all. Others of our number within a few weeks 
were sent to other posts. Major Pool went to Evacua- 
tion Hospital No. 1, Captain Lee went to assist Col. 
Finney and to direct the organization of transfusion 
for the A. E. F., and Major Elser went to the Central 
Laboratories at Dijon. Others of our number were 
away for weeks at a time. Captain Erskine, Lieuten- 
ants Adair and Dineen were at Ris Orangis; Lieutenants 
Boiling, Stephens, and Schrock were at Noyon, and 
Dugdale and Echeverria were at Soissons. 

On March 31st, 19 18, the first group of wounded 
patients came in on a train from the Montdidier sec- 
tion. From this time on until the signing of the 
armistice, wounded came in at frequent intervals. The 
number became larger and larger until the first part of 
August, when it became obvious that more provision 

63 




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BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 65 

must be made to house them. Let me here describe the 
admission of patients into the hospital. 

Patients came from the front in hospital trains. 
These trains were simply handsome hospitals on 
wheels. They could accommodate about 350 stretcher 
cases or 500 walking cases. Each coach had 36 cots 
hung in threes one above the other. When desired the 
top cot could be slung flat to the side of the coach, the 
second cot slipped down and made a back to the lower 
cot, thus forming a sofa or lounge. The space between 
the rows of cots was very wide — sufficient to allow a 
stretcher to pass with ease. The train carried a water 
supply of 2835 gallons, apart from the drinking water 
carried in filters. Electric fans changed the air com- 
pletely when the train was in motion. The heating 
was entirely independent of the engine. There were 
bathrooms, douches, lavatories, an Operating room, a 
pharmacy, a kitchen, and supply rooms. So complete 
was the provision department that 500 persons could 
be comfortably fed for three days at a stretch. 

The staff comprised three medical officers, three 
nurses, a sergeant first class, two sergeants, two cooks, 
and thirty-one enlisted men. "The coaches were the 
last word in hygiene — rounded corners so as to be 
easily cleaned, cheery and extremely neat, all in white 
enamel finished off in mahogany." It was on such 
trains that the American sick and wounded were taken 
to and from the hospital. 

The following simple plan of operation was devised 
to avoid the loss of time by officers and men when a 
train was expected to bring patients or to evacuate 
patients to or from our hospital. I quote from a 
Memorandum of April 17th, 191 8: 

"1. All information received either by telegram 



66 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

or telephone concerning the probable time of arrival 
of sanitary trains will be transmitted by the Adjutant 
at once to the Commanding Officer, the Registrar, 
Detraining (or Entraining) Officer, Quartermaster, and 
Mess Officer. All changes later received will similarly 
be transmitted to the officers above mentioned. 

"2. If information is received to the effect that 
a train is expected between Taps and First Call for 
Reveille the Detachment Commander will send one 
enlisted man to the quai not less than thirty minutes 
before the supposed hour of arrival of the train. As 
soon as the train passes the quai to Chateauroux, or 
as soon as it reaches the quai if it is coming from the 
other side of Chateauroux, this soldier will immediately 
awaken the chauffeur who is on guard at the garage. 
He will then proceed as rapidly as possible to the 
Hospital and inform the Non-Commissioned Officer of 
the Guard of the arrival of the train, and the Non- 
commissioned Officer of the Guard will immediately 
direct the Musician of the Guard to blow First Call, 
which will be followed ten minutes later by Reveille, 
to be in turn followed five minutes later by Assembly. 
Assembly will be followed, as soon as the detach- 
ment shall have been dismissed, by Mess Call. To 
provide for this contingency, the Mess Officer shall 
have previously made arrangements looking to furnish- 
ing breakfast to all patients who are to be evacuated, 
if such is the purpose for which the train has come. 
The enlisted men of this command, however, will not 
have breakfast until the entraining or detraining pro- 
cess has been completed. 

"3. If the train is due to arrive between First Call 
for Reveille and Fatigue Call, First Call, Reveille 
and Assembly will be as usual, but Mess Call will be 




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68 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

blown five minutes after Assembly. To provide for 
this contingency, the Mess Officer shall have previously 
made arrangements looking thereto so that breakfast 
may be served at once to all enlisted men of this com- 
mand, and to all patients who are to be evacuated, if 
such is the purpose for which the train has come. Upon 
such an occasion twenty minutes only will be allowed 
for breakfast and at the end of this time Assembly will 
again be blown in all parts of the Post, upon which all 
enlisted men designated for duty in connection with 
the reception or evacuation of patients will immedi- 
ately report to the Officers to whom they have been 
assigned for duty. 

"4. If the train is due to arrive between morning 
Fatigue Call and Taps, the Detachment Commander 
will still send a member of the detachment Medical 
Department to the quai not less than thirty minutes 
before the arrival of the train, and this soldier will 
be responsible for informing the Non-Commissioned 
Officer in charge of motor transportation or such 
chauffeur or mechanic as may be at the garage. The 
soldier will then proceed at once to the Hospital and 
inform the Non-Commissioned Officer of the Guard of 
the arrival of the train, and the non-commissioned 
officer of the Guard will at once cause the Musician of 
the Guard to blow Assembly in all parts of the Post. 
This will be the signal for all enlisted men designated 
for duty in connection with the reception or evacuation 
of patients to report at once to the officers to whom they 
have been assigned for duty. 

"5. The intent of the foregoing is to allow the 
arrival of sanitary trains to interfere as little as possible 
with the normal functioning of the hospital, but some 
such interference can not, of course, be entirely avoided. 




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70 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

Particular attention is invited to the fact that the Mess 
Officer must be prepared to feed patients who are to 
be evacuated at practically any hour of the day or 
night. Ward Surgeons must hold themselves responsi- 
ble for making the necessary arrangements to procure 
meals from the kitchen at any hour of the day or night 
for such patients as are to be evacuated but are not 
able to go to the mess hall. They must also hold 
themselves responsible for seeing that the clothing and 
equipment of patients to be evacuated is properly dis- 
tributed in the ward, that no patients leave the ward 
for the admission building in preparation for evacua- 
tion until the registrar has signified his readiness to 
accept such patients at the admission building, and 
finally that no patients leave the ward taking with 
them any articles or property pertaining to this hospital. 
"6. The Registrar will see to it that patients when 
brought to the admission building are separated as 
follows : 

(a) Cases of insanity and other mental diseases in 

alphabetical order. 

(b) Cases of epidemic disease in alphabetical order. 

(c) All other litter case in alphabetical order. 

(d) All other sitting cases in alphabetical order. 

"7. Cases when classified as indicated in the preced" 
ing paragraph will be sent to the quai in groups in 
alphabetical order as soon as may be possible. Groups 
who are able to walk will be conducted to the quai 
under the supervision of the non-commissioned officer. 
Upon arrival at the quai they will be reported to the 
Entraining Officer, who will be responsible for causing 
to be made a final check by name of all patients evac- 
uated. He will, as soon as this check is completed, 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 71 

hand to the Registrar, or his representative, the lists 
upon which the check has been made, and the latter 
will then be responsible for securing from the Com- 
manding Officer of the train a receipt for those patients 
by name as checked, and for all public property which 
may be turned over to the Commanding Officer of the 
train for delivery to the hospital for which the patients 
are destined.'' These simple directions made the 
handling of patients an easy matter!!! 

A system of barracks for admission buildings had 
been built in what was once a picturesque court, but 
during the season of the drives they were turned into 
wards. One building was an examining ward where the 
registrar classified the case and designated it for the 
proper ward. In another building the clothing was 
taken from the patient, marked and sterilized. The 
next barrack contained the bath. ^ Near this was the 
X-ray examination room and an emergency operating 

room. 

When a train came in the hospital was a bee-hive 
of activity. There was no lost motion those days nor 
for days to follow. The red tape reports on each 
patient were enough to keep the staff busy without a 
thought for the care of the patients. But the staff of 
nurses and doctors put treatment first and reports 
second. This does not mean that they were not done, 
but it does mean that they were not the first thing in 
importance. Base Hospital No. 9 believed that its 
chief duty was to care for the sick and wounded. 




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CHAPTER VII. 

Base Hospital No. 9 becomes the Orthopedic Centre 

of France. 

In the spring of 191 8, the hospital which had been 
functioning as a general hospital was designated by the 
Chief Surgeon as the Orthopedic Centre of the Ameri- 
can Expeditionary Forces. Base Hospital No. 9 was 
selected because of its unique position and because of 
its excellent equipment for the work. Credit for the 
latter must be given to the far-seeing policy of Major 
Gibson, who when planning the equipment took into 
account the large work that would necessarily be done 
with bone and joint wounds. This olid not mean that 
general surgical and medical cases would no longer be 
received — for during the entire life of the hospital a 
very large number of such cases were treated, — but 
simply that the Orthopedic Section of Surgery of the 
A. E. F. would consider this their base. 

Almost immediately a staff of Orthopedic surgeons 
were selected under the direction of Lt. Col. Goldthwaite, 
Major George W. Hawley, of the Unit, was made 
director of the work. He divided the work into two 
sections under the control of Lieut. Richmond Stevens 
and Lieut. Robert Schrock. A school was started to 
train orthopedic surgeons. Officers began to arrive in 
large numbers and spent from two to six weeks observ- 
ing and studying the methods of war surgery. Lectures 
were given every day and clinics held in the operating 

73 



74 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

room and in the wards. As the Carrel-Dakin method 
of wound treatment was being used with marked suc- 
cess, it added much interest to the work that was being 
studied. It was from this base that "the orthopods" 
were sent to the line and to other hospitals in France. 
About 200 surgeons went out from here. 

It was also at this base that the reconstruction 
aides were trained and sent out. A permanent staff 
of occupational and therapeutic workers remained to 
train the others. They did work in the wards as well 
as in their work shops. About ioo aides received their 
training here. 

An orthopedic workshop was started and success- 
fully worked. Lieut. Grimes was placed in charge. 
Patients received their treatment here and at the same 
time made a great many useful things for the hospital. 
Most of the splints and frames that were used were 
made on the Post by Private Samuel Gore — a member 
of the Unit. 

On June 19th, 19 18, Major Tasker, who had been 
promoted to the rank of Lieut. Colonel, was relieved of 
his position as Commanding Officer and left to take up 
his duties in the office of the Chief Surgeon, Intermedi- 
ate Section, S. O. S. as Sanitary Inspector. Major 
George Hawley then became Commanding Officer. 



CHAPTER VIII. 
Reconstruction Activities. 

One of the chief functions of a hospital in France 
was to save and reconstruct human life so that it would 
be useful again. After the broken bones had been 
mended or the fearful wounds healed, there was still 
much to be done before the injured member would 
function normally. To assist nature in restoring move- 
ment to the injured parts, a course of therapeutic 
treatment had oftentimes to be undergone. This 
treatment was given under the direction of and by the 
reconstruction aides. It was accomplished in two 
ways. There were the reconstruction aides who went 
from ward to ward and gave the patients massage 
treatment. By manipulation, methodic pressure, fric- 
tion and kneading of the injured member results were 
obtained. These workers also had a barrack where 
patients went every day on the doctor's orders to have 
their treatment. 

Results were also accomplished by occupational 
therapy. The plan was to arouse the patient's interest 
by giving them something to make, which at the same 
time would call into play the muscles which needed to 
have their function restored. The aides who were 
doing this work went from bedside to bedside and 
taught the men to make useful and beautiful things. 
Great good was accomplished in this way. In the first 
place the mind of the patient was being occupied; then 

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78 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

the patient was using a part of his body which needed 
to be made strong and well again; and last but not 
least, he was making something that was worth while 
and which could be sent to those at home as a gift. 

The aides also had a building where they had 
classes both mornings and afternoons. Some of the 
men were sent to this building by the surgeons for 
specific treatment while other classes were purely 
voluntary. The material that was used was "stuff 
that came from salvage dumps. " Tin cans made 
mechanical toys, as ambulances, aeroplanes, engines, 
while any kind of wood that could be found was soon 
turned into a useful article or toy. Each man who 
came was treated as an individual. He was not given 
setting-up exercises, and he was not taught a voca- 
tion. The value of the place was not to teach but to 
provide treatment by first arousing the interest of the 
individual. The work was entirely self-supporting. 
The aides themselves provided the first iooo francs to 
start the work, as they had been refused funds from 
other sources. As our aides put it "we begged, bor- 
rowed and (speak it softly) stole to get things started. 
We worked out our own salvation and by doing it 
saved — we hope — a great many others." 

Another form of reconstruction work was done in 
physical training classes. Shell shock, gas cases, and 
men, with wounds that had been slight, were put into 
these classes. One of the Unit men, Corporal Charles 
Rose, who had been a trainer in civil life was put in 
charge of the work which proved highly beneficial. 

Patients were not allowed to idle around the hospital 
when they were able to do some work. In a plant that 
was caring for 2500 patients there was much to be 
done, and the type of work was so varied that no one 




IN AN ORTHOPEDIC WARD 



79 



80 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

could escape doing something. It was much better 
to have the men occupied than to have them doing 
nothing all day. No one was put to work who was not 
physically fit. The patients did such things as policing 
the wards and corridors, doing orderly work, working 
in the Post-Office or the Red Cross Building, farming, 
kitchen chores, and making surgical dressings. It 
would have been impossible to carry on the work at 
the hospital without the help of the patients. And 
they all did it cheerfully and w r ell, which was always 
characteristic of the American soldier. 

One of the interesting places in the hospital was the 
workshop. The curative value of the workshop can 
never be fully appreciated. Records will show some 
results, but the full story will never be told. We tried 
from the beginning to make the work of such practical 
benefit to the hospital, that it would not only provide 
the exercise for the restoration of function in the in- 
jured part of the wounded man, but also provide work 
of productive nature. We thereby gained results of 
twofold nature, that of holding the patients' interest, 
and that of providing the hospital with many practical 
and useful things. The co-operation on the part of 
the men themselves was splendid, and this to a large 
extent was the secret of the success of the work. 

The psychological result was very noticeable, in 
that, once a man realized that he was making some- 
thing useful and that its value depended upon his 
efforts, his recovery was assured. The beginning of 
his recovery dated from the moment he realized he was 
of some use as a workman. 

We had a large carpenter shop in which we made 
most of the tables, cupboards, filing cabinets, desks, 
etc., that were used at the hospital. In this shop there 




RECONSTRUCTION WORK 



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BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 83 

were planes equipped with special handles to meet the 
needs of the different gripping powers of the individual. 
There were also saws with various types of handles. 

There was a shoe and leather workshop, in which were 
made Thomas heels, sacro-iliac pads, foot straps, and 
different types of special splints. This part of the work 
was of inestimable value as it supplied the hospital with 
these various orthopedic appliances to fit the specific case. 

Our treadle-room was worthy of mention, as it 
accomplished very satisfactory results in cases of 
limited flexion and extension. The jig saws of the 
lever and fulcrum pattern were very good for ankle 
cases of limited flexion, and the larger jig saws of the 
pendulum type provided excellent exercise for the knee 
cases. There was also a foot treadle wood-turning 
lathe, that was of the platform treadle type, requiring 
the patient to stand up to operate it. This proved 
very good for knee and hip cases, and as the man's 
whole body was practically in motion, it allowed rotary 
movement that was of great benefit. On this lathe, we 
made all our tool handles and many useful things that 
required wood-turning. One of the patients made a foot 
treadle saw of the crank pedal type, with an adjustable 
stroke, which would permit a varied motion from com- 
plete extension of the leg to a flexion of 90 degrees. 

There was also a machine shop, equipped with 
power machines, and an oxy-acetylene welding plant. 
Here we made many splints, braces and supports, and 
also all the mechanical repairs of the hospital, including 
the automobile work. There were also drills and 
emery wheels with extensible levers, for the various 
types of shoulder cases. 

A good percentage of the patients were returned 
to "A" duty after a short period of work. A large 



84 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

number were also sent to "B" duty. Many of these 
class B men, if allowed to remain a few weeks longer 
would have been class A men. Owing to the press- 
ing need of beds, the cases were evacuated much earlier 
than would ordinarily have been done. However, if 
the work had been carried on at the convalescent camp, 
or the special training unit, it would have greatly 
accelerated the recovery of these class B men. 

Even in the C and D classes, cases requiring further 
treatment, there was a great deal of benefit realized. 
These men improved greatly in spirit and left the 
hospital in better mental condition than when they 
arrived. It was very interesting to watch the "ampu- 
ties" take courage and attempt to use the tools and 
succeed to a great extent. We tried, as far as possible, 
to find work for each, similar to his own line of work in 
civil life, and in the short time we had the men with us, 
it was shown clearly that, if the work were continued 
when they left us, it would be possible for them to 
make good in life. This applied fully as well to the 
"amputies" as to the men who had simply limited 
function in the injured member. 

The following list of useful, practical things, have 
been made entirely by patients in these shops: 

SHOE AND LEATHER SHOP. 

309 Thomas heels 

69 Goldthwaite, sacro-iliac belts 
172 Figure eight foot straps 

35 Leather corsets for artificial limbs 

6 Ankle braces 

7 Abdominal belts 
13 Wrist straps 

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CARPENTER SHOP. 

21 Large tables 

5 Letter racks, for Post Office 
12 Back rests, for bed patients 
12 Shelves made and put in wards 
36 Bed cradles 

7 Filing cabinets 

4 Writing desks, with drawers and pigeon holes 
10 Tin lined refrigerators 

2 Medicine cabinets 
10 Tin lined bread boxes 

7 Large cupboards 

5 Screens 

3 Knife boxes 
2 Bed pan racks 

200 Walking canes 

1 Chart rack 
236 Signs, made and painted 
600 Chart boards 

MACHINE SHOP. 

20 Steel braces, 1 for prevention of toe drop 
1 1 Steel knee braces 

4 Walking caliper splints ^ 
6 Special traction arm splints 
6 Special abduction arm splints 

2 Gutter hand splints 

3 Steel pelvic braces. 

In addition to the splints and orthopedic appliances 
that were made daily in the machine shop, we made a 
great many knives, tools and instruments. We also 



88 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

did all the mechanical repair work of the hospital, 
including renewing parts for boilers, ice plant, electric 
motors and automobiles. 



BLACKSMITH SHOP. 

Here we made and tempered the steel supports used 
in the sacro-iliac belts, and brazed or welded all the 
splints that were made. 

The efficacy of the work as a therapeutic measure 
is shown by the following figures: 





NO. MEN 


NO. MEN 






MONTH 


ENROLLED 


DISCHARGED 


A CLASS 


B CLASS 


June 


5 8 


25 


52% 


28% 


July 


93 


65 


46.1% 


4i-5% 


Aug. 


97 


80 


25% 


21.3% 


Sept. 


119 


103 


21.4% 


41 .8% 



The average hours worked in June were 14^, in July, 
28, in August, 21^ and in September, 16^. 

There were during October, November, and Decem- 
ber, more than a hundred patients attending the 
classes, and the work continued successfully, under the 
close supervision of the orthopedic surgeons, at the 
hospital. 



CHAPTER IX. 
Our Post Engineers. 

When the company of the 15th Engineers left, in 
April, 19 1 8, some of our mechanics were put in charge 
of all the construction, maintenance and repairs at the 
hospital. These ten or twelve men kept all the build- 
ings, the plumbing, the electric plant and the water 
supply system in repair. Whatever machinery had 
to be installed was done by them, making the plant 
entirely independent of the engineering corps of the 
army. 

The electricity in the hospital had given no end of 
trouble, so they completely changed -the system until 
it gave entire satisfaction. The large water supply 
system with its filter beds and pumps was changed. A 
new pump was installed and the water level in the 
filter bed lowered twenty inches. 

The prolonged rains made the roads in the hospital 
grounds almost impossible. These men set to work 
to build new ones and at the same time to grade the 
ground in the middle of the hospital oval. This re- 
quired five hundred truck loads of crushed stone 
(which we might say was crushed by those who wittingly 
or unwittingly disobeyed orders) — and three hundred 
loads of cinders for top dressing. Excellent roads were 
thus made and the appearance of the hospital was 
greatly improved. 

The men also installed the power plant and machin- 
ery for a first-class machine shop. Two 50 H. P. boilers 

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BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 91 

were put in the laundry, and one boiler was placed in 
the kitchen. The buildings were all equipped with 
modern plumbing, and at the same time the interior of 
a great many of the wards was painted. 

The portable ice-plant, which the Unit brought over 
with them, was mounted and rebuilt. This meant 
much to the hospital during the summer months. It 
furnished not only all the ice that was used in the care 
and feeding of patients, but by being connected with a 
room off of the kitchen, it also gave a cold storage place 
for meats and vegetables. A temperature of io° F. 
above zero was maintained throughout the summer in 
this room. 

The machine shop also did all the repair work on 
the boilers, motors and automobiles, and the many 
gasolene engines about the post. As the French often 
had difficulty in getting coal to supply the electric 
system for the town, and as it was absolutely necessary 
for us to have the power at all times (to run the X-ray 
machines and to care for the operating room) — an 
electric generator operated by a powerful gasolene 
engine was put in, thereby making the hospital in- 
dependent of the local electric company. 

The men in charge of the work were, Sgt. Johnson 
— General Repairs; Sgt. Law responsible for sewage 
disposal and the water supply, Corporal Grossman, 
directing all mechanical installation, and Corporal 
Livingston in charge of all electric appliances. 




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CHAPTER X. 
The American Soldier. 

Much has been written about the American soldier 
during the Great War. Volumes are still to be written. 
Yet the one outstanding fact that will run through 
them all is that the American soldier was the real man 
in the war. 

He it was who suffered the real hardships of the 
ocean voyage; he it was who hiked and drilled and 
worked in the training camp; he it was who stood in 
sticky mud being drenched with rain waiting for the 
zero hour; he it was who when that, hour arrived crept 
under the barrage and met the enemy face to face; he 
it was who faced the machine gun and heard the shower 
of shrapnel and high explosives; he it was who proved 
himself a man. 

Yet heroism was not finished at the battle line. 
The days in the hospital were the ones that really proved 
the stuff of which men are made. Here they would 
lie day after day. Dreadful gashes had been torn in 
their bodies, bones had been broken and bruised, arms 
and legs had been taken from them, yet there was little 
complaining over their lot. A peaceful spirit seemed 
to dwell within them — the consciousness of having 
acquitted themselves like men. Those who suffered 
most complained the least. The happiest ward and 
the ward where there was always some frolic and 
revelry was where the amputation cases were being 

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94 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

cared for. They always saw something in the future 
for themselves. One man who had lost his leg made a 
new one for himself at the orthopedic work shop and 
went to duty with the quartermaster corps at St. 
Nazaire. He could have been sent home but he wanted 
to stay until the war was over. 

Most of the men when they came to the hospital 
were anxious to get back on the line with their outfits. 
Their first question would always be: "When do you 
think I will be able to get back?" It was this spirit 
which conquered and won. 

The American soldier was cheerful in training camp, 
patient under hardships, calm, courageous and active 
in battle, enduring and long suffering in the hospital, 
and heroic when face to face with death. He fought 
a good fight. He kept his country's faith and honor. 
All glory to him! 



CHAPTER XL 
Other Happenings. 

In a brief survey such as this it is impossible to go 
into details in describing the workings of the depart- 
ments. Books could be written on the laboratory, 
which was under the direction of Major Ralph Still- 
man and Capt. H. V. Weihrauch. The X-ray depart- 
ment under Major Archibald Busby and Lt. Charles 
L. Rudasill had one of the most complete equipments 
in the A. E. F. The Registrar's Office which worked 
day and night would furnish a volume of interesting 
reading. The Quartermaster Corps with Lt. Roy L. 
Hall in charge did a large amount of very important 
work. Beside rationing and clothing and paying the 
troops, it also ran a post commissary which was well 
stored with material, and operated a steam laundry 
working one hundred people, which did all the washing 
for the hospital. The quartermaster also had charge 
of the garage. Then there was the Post Office where 
sixteen men were constantly employed under the 
direct care of Sgt. Edwin A. Cruickshank. The work 
of the adjutant's office was most important and excel- 
lently done. Every department did its work well and 
the hospital really functioned as a Unit. 

The following letters have been received since the 
Unit returned to the States: 



95 



96 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

THE AMERICAN RED CROSS. 

NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS, 

WASHINGTON, D. C. 

March 28th, 19 19. 

Dr. C. L. Gibson, Director 
Red Cross Base Hospital No. 9 
72 East 54th Street, 

New York, N. Y. 

My Dear Doctor: 

It is hoped that you have thought out a plan to keep 
Base Hospital No. 9 together, so that it will continue in 
existence. No doubt, everyone who has had active service 
with the hospital will desire to continue to be identified with 
it, in so far as circumstances will permit. 

To accomplish this, a social organization should be set 
up, to which can belong not only every one who has ever 
been a member of your Unit, but anyone who may be added 
to it in the future. 

From this organization, the Base Hospital personnel can 
be selected for enrollment in accordance with the regulations 
which the American Red Cross will issue as soon as they are 
definitely formulated by the Medical Department of the 
Army. 

The important thing to be done, at once, is to keep the 
personnel connected with your hospital, to interest them in 
its future and by setting up this sort of a social organization, 
you can arrange to have reunions, which will give pleasure 
to all concerned and keep your organization intact. 

When, for various reasons, members find that they are 
forced to discontinue active work in the Base Hospital they 
can still remain members of the organization and attend 
such social functions and reunions as may be held from time 
to time. 

Red Cross base hospitals will be organized as 1000 bed 
hospitals and the government will store a unit of equipment 
for each hospital in a government storehouse as near as 
possible to the city in which this hospital is located. 

Detailed instructions and muster rolls for your personnel 
will be issued in the near future. Please write me of anv 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 97 

plans you may have in mind which will help to keep the Red 
Cross Base Hospital prepared to meet any future emergency 
in the same magnificent way they did the one just passing 
into history. 

The local Red Cross Chapter will be glad to render any 
cooperative assistance you may require to bring about the 
successful reorganization of your Base Hospital on a peace 

basis. 

Very truly yours, 

C. H. Conner, 
Colonel, M.C. U.S.A. 
Asst. Dir. Gen. Military Relief. 



WAR DEPARTMENT. 
OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENERAL. 
WASHINGTON, D. C 

April 26th, 19 1 9. 
Board of Trustees 
New York Hospital, 
New York City. 
(Through the American Red Cross National Headquarters.) 

Gentlemen: 

Red Cross Base Hospital No. 9 accredited to New York 
Hospital, having been returned' to this country for demobiliza- 
tion, I take this opportunity" to express my appreciation of 
the invaluable services rendered the nation by this splendid 
organization. 

It will always be remembered that the first organizations 
of the American Army to be sent overseas were Six Red 
Cross Base Hospitals and at the time of the great Allied 
offensive, beginning July 18th, 1918, thirty-nine of the forty- 
five base hospitals on duty in France and England were 
Red Cross hospitals. 

Their readiness for service and the patriotic devotion to 
duty as well as the professional excellence of the personnel 
of these organizations have made them the chief reliance of 
the Medical Service of the forces in France while those on 
duty with the British have rendered equally valuable and 
appreciated aid to the British army. 



98 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

It is earnestly recommended that effective measures be 
taken by you to keep the organization of your Unit intact, 
and that every effort be made to imbue its future personnel 
with the fine esprit to be expected in the possessors of the 
glorious heritage of splendid achievement handed down 
from The Great War by the original personnel of Base 
Hospital No. 9. 

In this connection I desire to invite your attention to the 
excellent work done by Major C. L. Gibson, M.C., as Director 
of Base Hospital No. 9 and to ask that you convey to him 
my sincere appreciation of the value of the service he gave 
to our country in its time of need. 

Sincerely, 

M. S. Ireland, 
Surgeon General, U. S. Army. 

The French people in the town showed the hospital 
every possible courtesy. The military and the civil 
authorities showed their friendly interest on every 
occasion. At the Memorial Day exercises held in the 
American cemetery, the Prefect, the Mayor, the French 
General, the Monsignor of the Cathedral and the 
French Protestant minister all took part. On the 
American holidays the French always helped with the 
celebrations and the hospital returned the courtesy on 
French national days. Captain A. Fondrevay, the 
liaison officer at the hospital w r as of great assistance to 
us and his kindly spirit made him beloved by all. 

The days in France, although many of them were 
hard, are still filled with happy memories. We shall 
never forget the Christmas eves with their carol-singing 
through the wards nor the Christmas days on which 
we were made cheerful by giving others happiness. 
The delightful companionship, the visits to people in 
Chateauroux, the leaves to the Riviera, Dinard, Aix Ie 
Bains (called by the men aches and pains) Pau, and 
Eaux Bonnes (Pas Bonne). All of the unpleasant 



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99 



100 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

things, the petty trials and difficulties are now fading 
from the memory, and in their place stand out the big 
things that really counted and made our adventure in 
France worth while. 

Yet we shall always remember the members of the 
organization, who while there, were asked to make the 
supreme sacrifice. Private Robert D. Lane, after a 
hard fight for life was taken from us on July 19th, 19 18. 
He was buried in the beautiful American plot in the 
cemetery at Chateauroux. Every officer, nurse and 
enlisted man who was not on duty attended the service. 
He was loved by all. 

The other member of our Unit was Florence W. 
Campbell, A.N.C. She was on a leave at Nice when 
she contracted influenza and died. Her body rests in 
the French Cemetery situated on a hill overlooking the 
blue Mediterranean. Her going was a distinct loss to 
the Unit. "May the souls of the faithful rest in peace. 
Eternal rest and peace grant unto them, O Lord, and 
let perpetual light shine upon them." 

The American Cemetery in Chateauroux, which 
was cared for by the hospital under the direction of the 
Chaplain, was a very beautiful plot. It was located in 
the Cimitiere St. Denis which was between Bitray and 
Chateauroux. Every grave, — and we left 153 men 
sleeping there, — was marked with a white wooden 
cross on which was placed the name, rank, organi- 
zation, date of death and grave number of the man. 
Each grave was raised and sodded and during the 
summer months flowers were growing on the top. 
Men under Sgt. Udell were constantly working over 
the plot until it was very beautiful with its gravel 
walks, its well kept graves and many colored flowers. 
An inspector from the Graves Registration Service 




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104 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

said that it was one of the best kept cemeteries in 
the A. E. F. 

The spirit of the men was splendid. They had 
many discouragements and difficulties, yet through 
them all they did fine work. After we were in France 
six months they got together and edited a Unit paper 
called The Nine Times. This was the first one 
published in the A. E. F. and received very favorable 
notices from the newspapers and periodicals in the 
United States. The men were forced to publish it 
irregularly because they were all working on hospital 
details which kept them more than busy. Then, there 
were difficulties in the printing of the paper at the 
French shop. However, the staff deserves the highest 
praise for what they did accomplish. 

When the campaign was started to secure a fund 
for the support of the French War Orphans, the men 
again made a ready and generous response. They 
gave 2000 francs ($400) which was sufficient to care 
for four children for one year. Many of the things 
which they did for patients in the hospital will never 
be known. They were a splendid crowd of men. 

The hospital has, as a permanent record, not only the 
many pictures which were taken by the Unit photog- 
rapher, Pvt. Henry B. Chiljian, but also a complete 
set of moving picture films of all the activities of the 
place . Lt. Col. Hawley took a personal interest in this 
work and saw that a complete record was made. These 
films he offered to the New York Hospital, where they 
are to be kept permanently. It is an interesting and 
valuable possession. 



CHAPTER XII. 
The Red Cross. 

One of the best friends of the hospital was the 
American Red Cross. From the day that the Unit 
landed in France until it was demobilized, the Red 
Cross was always willing to help and to give for the 
welfare of the men. No task was too large and no 
want too small, but that it was immediately cared for 
by this organization. To show some of the things 
accomplished let me quote The Nine Times (March 
30th, 1918): 

"We are all accustomed to join in praise of the 
Red Cross for the important and noble work that 
is done here in France in succoring war refugees; in 
reconstructing sections of the country devastated by 
invasion; and in furnishing the means of providing 
members of the American Expeditionary Force with 
comforts and recreational opportunities; but few of us 
stop to consider the many benefits Base Hospital No. 9 
has received, and is now receiving from this organiza- 
tion. In the first place the Unit owes its very existence 
to the Red Cross, for under its auspices the former was 
originally organized and was not taken over by the 
Government until later on. Consequently, not a small 
share of the original equipment came from this source, 
as those who rustled Red Cross beds, boxes and barrels 
all night at the Bush Terminal Docks, while preparing 
for departure, have reason to remember. Then as soon 

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BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 109 

as we arrived and were just getting settled, more Red 
Cross supplies, astonishing in variety and amount, 
started pouring in on us and have done so ever since — 
ward fittings of all sorts, clothing and tobacco for the 
patients, surgical supplies and dressings — until Sgt. 
Sharwell wished that the Q. ,M. storehouse was pos- 
sessed of more elastic qualities. 

"Subsequently, there followed large quantities of 
books and magazines, not to mention games, some of 
which, like chess and jig-saw puzzles, are intended for 
those who have patience and others for those who are 
patients. We have received almost enough baseball 
equipment to start a World Series while even in two 
such diverse things as quoits and bicycles, we have not 
been neglected. Red Cross comfort kits made our 
Christmas more enjoyable just as Red Cross seeds, 
now sprouting, are making our farm more productive. 

" But as much as all these favors have been enjoyed, 
perhaps the most appreciated contribution made by 
the Red Cross to the Unit was the installation of the 
movies — a whole ward full of chairs, the service of an 
operator to run the machine and enough films for three 
shows a week. In fact, everything was furnished for 
us but the audience, and we had no trouble in supplying 
that." 

Until the Red Cross was able to get its building— 
and they had no end of difficulty with the French labor 
that could be secured— the recreational activities were 
held in one of our hospital pavilions. Just about the 
time that this space was needed for patients the build- 
ing was completed and their work began in a definite 
way. Until this time the work had been carried on by 
the Chaplain along with his other duties. Capt. 
Douglas Laird, A.R.C., was then sent by the Paris 



110 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

Office to take care of this work. A staff of workers 
was sent to help him. 

The Red Cross Hut as soon as it was completed was 
a scene of activity every hour of the day and part of 
the night. The main body of the building was a play- 
ground by day and a theatre by night. A stage at one 
end made it possible for a great many entertainments 
and A. E. F. shows to be given. At the other end was 
a canteen service — at which everything was given to 
the patients and the men. Every afternoon some- 
thing was served — cocoa, apples, cakes, etc., and things 
were taken to the men who were not able to leave their 
beds. At this end of the hut there were sleeping 
quarters for the staff-workers. At the other end and 
behind the stage there was a large writing room which 
was supplied with paper, pen and ink; a large reading 
room and library; a supply room, and the administra- 
tive office. 

Capt. Laird was succeeded by Capt. C. A. Arnett 
who came at a time when the hospital was overcrowded 
with patients, and the need for the ministrations of 
the Red Cross was most urgent. He and Mrs. Arnett 
gave themselves untiringly and everything that could 
be done was done. The work in the wards was empha- 
sized and workers were there continually distributing 
supplies, giving magazines, writing paper and exchang- 
ing books. They also brought a great many enter- 
tainments to the wards. At the same time the work 
went on in the hut in a most wonderful way. It 
was with a feeling of regret that we all received the 
news that Capt. Arnett would have to return to the 
States and take up his work at the University of Mon- 
tana. Miss Helen Hall, who had been on the staff, 
took up the duties and handled them in a most capable 




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BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 113 

way. The Red Cross workers and their work "get 
a high mark." 

There was another thing that the Red Cross did 
which meant much to the patients and the people at 
home. That was the work of Miss Edith Metcalf and 
Miss Anna Wheeler of the Home Communication 
Service. They spent their entire day in the wards 
writing letters for the men who could not write and in 
doing other works of mercy. They brought much 
comfort and cheer in everything they did. 

In the early days of our stay in France, the officers 
clubbed together and erected a building as a rest and 
meeting place. After it had been in use for some time 
th? Red Cross bought the building, added some extra 
comforts and gave it back to the officers for their use. 
They also erected a building for the nurses and fur- 
nished it. Miss Helen Joy, a Y. W. C. A. worker, 
became the hostess. She soon earned for herself a 
distinct place in the life of the Unit and the Nurses' 
Hut became the place for all "off duty." Tea was 
served every afternoon and occasional dances were 
given here. These three places of recreation furnished 
by the Red Cross meant everything to the life of the 
Unit. 



CHAPTER XIII. 
The Surgical Dressing Workroom. 

This work, which was under the direction of Miss 
Maud Ferguson, was of prime importance to the 
hospital. It not only gave a great many patients — 
both bed and walking patients — something to do to 
fill the long hours, but it also provided most of the 
surgical dressings used in the work. 

Every day from 800 to 1,200 yards of gauze was 
cut. This was sent to patients in the wards who folded 
it into compresses. All the newspapers around the 
hospital were sent to the workroom where they formed 
the basis for Carrel dressing and mattress pads. Here 
were also made all the straps and slings necessary for 
the splints. All the plaster bandages were made and 
all the Carrel tubing was pinched and tied in this room. 
The dressings used in the operating room and the 
wards were requisitioned and distributed from here. 
During the time the hospital was in operation only 
fifty cases of dressings were secured from the Red 
Cross. As we had the gauze and the men were 
anxious to do something, it was greatly to our advan- 
tage and to the advantage of the Red Cross to have 
them made here. The following tables from Miss 
Ferguson's report will give one an idea of the amount 
of work done and the amount of material used by the 
hospital during a given period. 

114 



11(3 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

1918. 



MONTH 


KINDS OF BANDAGES 


NUMBER MADE 


May 


4x8 Compresses 


27,8l0 




4x4 


26,000 




ti 

2X2 


38,000 




Large Carrel Pads 


1,380 




Small Carrel Pads 


572 




Mattress Pads 


588 




Gauze — 3 yard roll 


210 


June 


4x8 Compresses 


21,400 




tt 

4x4 


22,600 




2x2 


26,700 




Large Carrel Pads 


708 




Small Carrel Pads 


3°4 




Mattress Pads 


3 T 4 




Gauze — 3 yard roll 


461 


July 


4x8 Compresses 


31,000 




4x4 


35,000 




2x2 


30,000 




Large Carrel Pads 


997 




Small Carrel Pads 


494 




Mattress Pads 


502 




Gauze — 3 yard roll 


225 


August 


4x8 Compresses 


38,800 




4x4 


31,000 




2x2 


71,000 




Large Carrel Pads 


2,100 




Small Carrel Pads 


819 




Mattress Pads 


1,030 




Gauze — 3 yard roll 


570 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 



117 



MONTH KINDS OF BANDAGES 


NUMBER MA 


September 4x8 Compresses 


30,000 


4x4 


27,000 


<< 
2x2 


46,500 


Large Carrel Pads 


1,646 


Small Carrel Pads 


920 


Mattress Pads 


9l8 


Gauze — 3 yard roll 


154 


October 4x8 Compresses 


38,300 


tt 
4X4 


22,000 


tt 
2X2 


59,000 


Large Carrel Pads 


1,766 


Small Carrel Pads 


1,127 


Mattress Pads 


1,230 


Gauze — 3 yard roll 


92 


November 4x8 Compresses' 


52,000 


tt 

4x4 


l6,900 


tt 
2x2 


6,300 


Large Carrel Pads 


2,l6o 


Small Carrel Pads 


1,500 


Mattress Pads 


i>3!5 


Gauze — 3 yard roll 


112 



All of this work was done by patients and at no 
time was there a Unit man assigned to this work-room. 




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CHAPTER XIV. 
Revelations. 

From the day that Major Pool taught us to say 
"Sir, the Major's horse is waiting" until the time when 
the A. P. O. marked against the name of Base Hospital 
No. 9— "abandoned" (which Chief Weihrauch said 
was the truth) there were little intimate things happen- 
ing which the members of the Unit will truly appreciate. 
Living the community life which we did, everything 
was known to everybody (?). The men lived in bar- 
racks where all things were shared in common; the 
nurses learned the gossip of the day at bed-check; 
while the officers gathered at the Zuby Cafe— (not 
found in Chateauroux) and talked over the current 

events. 

For a time Williamson's camouflage held the atten- 
tion of the entire Unit. He gave as his reason for 
having it, not that he wanted to impress Tom Davis 
with his ability in treating malingerers but that it was 
a great help in psycho-analysis. Then he would refer 
to Freeman with a proud and that-settles-it gesture. 

Then came a day when the nurses wanted to give 
a tea to the enlisted men. In the army, the nurses 
only said good morning or good evening to the 
enlisted men. This was simply for the sake of disci- 
pline—either the discipline of the nurses or the dis- 
cipline of the men— nobody knows which. Anyway, 
the nurses who had always obeyed every order, as 

119 



120 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

they saw fit, asked special permission of the Command- 
ing Officer to allow them to show at least their in- 
terest in the men. After much heart searching he 
gave his consent but added, "only the old and homely 
nurses may receive at the tea" — and so the tea was 

held and the following nurses served. 

But that really isn't necessary to the story. 

One night while the Unit was still at Savenay and 
the officers were living in a dormitory, this interesting 
thing happened. There were numerous snorers of all 
grades and shades sleeping in that room. Shine, who 
had been on some military duty in the village, came in 
late. He went to bed but couldn't sleep with such an 
artillery barrage sounding in his ears. Suddenly he 
remembered seeing a room with a bed in it in one of the 
other buildings. So wrapping his bed clothes around 
him, he crept softly through the corridor, climbed the 
steps, opened the door and entered the room, closing 
the door behind him. Suddenly a shriek shook the 
air and a female voice shouted, "A man! a man is in 
my room!" Shine got away before the guard came to 
rescue the lady. 

General Pershing visited the hospital one morning. 
He came in a most informal way and at a most awk- 
ward time for an inspection. Other inspecting officers 
usually wrote a letter or sent a telegram saying that 
they were coming, but General Pershing just walked or 
rather drove right in. And it was Monday, too, a day 
on which nobody expects callers. The guard recog- 
nized him, forgot to salute and blurted out, ''Wait a 
minute. I'll get the Commanding Officer." Strains 
of music were heard coming from the administration 
building so the C. O. was easily located. Then the 
fun began. Word was sent around to have the guard 




122 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 123 

mounted so at least the General could be given a 
military good-bye. Soon the kitchen building wa 
reached. Sgt. Udell was in charge at that time. Some- 
body called out "Attention." The cooks all "came 
to, " but seeing these officers going around decided they 
could go on with their work. Just at this time the 
General came to the Sergeant and asked him a technical 
question about rations. The sergeant, remembering 
"the big book," wriggled out of attention, picked up 

a broom, leaned against it and began, "You see ." 

But that is as far as he got. The General lined the 
kitchen force up and gave them a lecture on military 
etiquette. And the dinner burned. 

By the time "Himself" got to the gate, the guard 
was there. And what a looking guard it was! Some 
had on boots, some leather puttees, some woolen leg- 
gins, some overcoats, some blouses, some shirts without 
a tie, some hats, and some without hats. As the 
General passed, someone shouted "Eyes right" and 
every man stood with "mouth open." They too were 
given a short lecture which gave Bugler Daggett and 
several others an opportunity to get a picture of the 
Big Chief. Yet we really were a very military outfit. 

Busby went to a card party in the Nurses' Quarters 
and had a terrible time with his wrapped Ieggin. 
Schrock too had a party and wore his new overseas 
cap. He was proud of it and kept putting it on and 
saying, "See my new cap. See my bare knees!" Chap- 
man and Hawley had a party at the Hotel de France. 
Some soldiers became unruly and disorderly. As these 
officers had left their Articles of War at the hospital 
they were at a loss as to how to act. Chappie suggested 
that they go home and get the book. They walked 
two miles to the Post and "the book" could not be 



124 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

found, so they asked the C. O. the method of procedure. 
They learned, and so did all the other officers. 

Erskine was adjutant for a time and one of his 
duties was the disciplining of the nurses. It happened 
that the nurses had bicycles and found that the uniform 
hat was a great hindrance when riding. The result 
was that headgear of various styles and shades of color 
were being worn. Orders were that nurses must be 
in uniform when they left the Post. A meeting was 
held and the nurses' objection seemed reasonable to 
the adjutant. But what was he to do? He knew 
that he couldn't design a hat and he also knew the 
general order on uniforms. This happy idea came to 
him, "I'll appoint a committee of the whole and they 
will design a model which will be submitted to me, and 
this model must be worn by all who leave the Post." 
Now can you imagine one-hundred-and-fifty women 
planning a hat that would please everybody? Hence- 
forth, Erskine was known as the Millinery Adjutant. 

This same Adjutant was hurriedly called to the 
office of the Chief Nurse one afternoon and the follow- 
ing conversation took place. 

C. N. Major, I was at the officers' ward and 
what do you suppose I saw?" 

Adj. I don't know. 

C. N. Well, one of the nurses who is not on duty 
there was in one of the rooms where there are sick 
officers and she was sitting on one of the beds. 

Adj. Haven't we chairs in the officers' ward? 

C. N. But that is not the serious part. As I 
looked in, I saw his arm around her waist. 

Adj. Are you sure? 

C. N. Yes, I am. Now what do you think I had 
better tell her? 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 125 

Adj. Tell her to be more careful next time. 
And I would suggest to her that she see that the door 
is closed — hereafter. 

The men of the Unit were all anxious to get in the 
line. They had joined the hospital corps because it 
was going to France early in the game and they be- 
lieved that when they were over there a transfer could 
easily be effected. But the powers ruled otherwise 
and it was almost impossible to transfer. Some ser- 
geants asked to be reduced to the ranks, thinking in 
that way they could more easily get to the infantry. 
Ninety-five out of every hundred men asked for a 
transfer to other branches of the service. When all 
hope was shattered, two of the men decided that they 
would go A. W. O. L. and make for the line. They 
made the fatal mistake of going by way of Paris where 
they were captured by the M. P. After spending a 
week there under the direction of the'police, they were 
glad to return to the Post. However, these men — as 
were many others — were sincere in their desire to get 
into combat service. It was too bad that some ar- 
rangement could not have been made to give them an 
opportunity for the service which they desired. 

One day one of the nurses saw two children playing 
in back of the nurses' quarters. They were very dirty 
and their clothing was soiled and worn. Near them 
was a man digging a ditch. The nurse's heart went 
out to the children. She had some things in her trunk 
brought over for French children and this was her first 
opportunity of placing them where they were needed. 
So she got the children, took them to her room, gave 
them a bath and put on them the new clothes. Then 
she took them out to the man who was digging. As 
her control of French was limited she thought that 



126 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

perhaps he would understand her English if she made 
enough signs. So she began: "I gave the children a 
bath — un bain — Ies enfants." Looking up, he simply 
nodded and smiled. Then pointing to the clothes she 
said, "I gave — for them — you keep." The man 
looked puzzled and distressed so she thought that he 
was insulted. "Pardon," said she, "I hope your wife 
won't mind." The man, realizing the situation, began 
to laugh and breaking all military rules replied, "No, 
she won't mind. She is in America. I am a member 
of the Unit." The nurse fled. 

One night Boiling was Officer of the Day. Sinuk, 
the tailor, was walking the post in the rear of the hospi- 
tal. Just to be sure that Sinuk was not counting the 
money that he took in during the day at his shop, 
he rambled down that way. This is what took place. 

Sinuk. Halt, who goes there. 

Bolling. Officer of the Day. 

Sinuk. Advance and be recognized. (Boiling ad- 
vances.) As he draws near Sinuk remarks — I wasn't 
afraid. I knew who you was all the time. I'll have 
your suit ready to-morrow morning. 

One day Kent, who was then Detachment Com- 
mander, held a meeting of the men to get their point of 
view and to have them state their grievances. When 
he had finished his talk and explanation of affairs, he 
asked if there were any questions they wanted to ask. 
Here are a few of them : 

Walker. Will the rations vary at all? 

Tiny. Capt. Kent, which would you prefer for 
breakfast, beans or hash? 

Viola. I ask free shaves. 

Fiegenbutz. The cake is bad. 

Wagner. We should have free tobacco. 



SB«H§§ 
Ipfllllllll 



liWalililillllill 




128 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

Braumiller. K. P. is a rotten job. 

Greene. Why can't the engineers work in the 
kitchen? 

Weinzimmer. Is this an organization of the Boy 
Scouts? 

One day Dineen thought that he could ride a motor 
cycle. Corporal Gelhaus had taught him how to 
start the machine and as Dinny in days past had ridden 
a bicycle he naturally inferred that all would go well. 
Well it did go well. The farther it went, the better it 
got, until it far exceeded the French speed limit. Di- 
rectly in the path of the glorious rider was a curve. 
All eyes were turned on Dinny and they were many. 
To show his calmness and his excellent technique, he 
threw off the gas and put on the brake and went flying 
into the Registrars' office. Zulauf and his force were 
there to receive him — for it had been told around the 
Post that the adjutant would be a likely patient. How- 
ever, there were no bones broken but Eliesku had to 
wash a khaki suit and a motor cycle was sent to 
salvage. 

The following conversation was heard in the corridor 
one day: "I understand that Hoist was admitted to 
Erskine's ward this morning. " "Yes, so I understand. 
It is too much of 'Hoist, take a memorandum' (Hoist 
was secretary for the CO.) I don't know but I hear 
this, — his ear is discharging faster than Kent is dis- 
charging patients in Ward X." 

After Col. Tasker was relieved of the command, 
Cussler likened the C. O.'s office to a pawn-broker's 
sign. Whenever one went to the office there were 
three heads together, solving and unsolving the affairs 
of state. Hawley, Busby and Zulauf ran the show and 
ran it well. It was during this regime that the motto 



130 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

of the Unit became "Play the big game." Hawley is 
the only C. O. on record who missed three Generals in 
one day. 

One day one of the officers was walking down the 
corridor and an enlisted man came along, looked him 
squarely in the eye and passed on. This officer thought 
to himself that discipline was getting very lax when this 
thing would happen. So he called the man back and 
asked him if he knew who he was. The man said, 
"Yes, an officer.'' "Why don't you salute an officer 
then when you recognize him?" asked the officer. The 
man said, "Because I am above you and you should 
bow the knee to me." This was too much for the 
officer who called the guard and had the man put in 
the guard-house. A few minutes later, Williamson 
went to his ward and found one of his patients who 
believed himself to be the Holy Ghost missing. He 
soon learned that Major B. had put the Holy Ghost in 
the guard-house. This officer never asked another man 
why he didn't salute. 

Sometimes the officers would give dances that were 
termed "functions." On the day of these functions, 
at officers' call the following talk would be given: 
"I hope that the officers will remember to-night that 
they are to be hosts and must act accordingly. I 
notice that at most of our dances, officers dance with 
the same nurse time and time again. This should not 
be and I hope that to-night you will dance one dance 
with each nurse and no more. Moreover, I want every 

officer to dance with ." Then evening would 

come. The orchestra would be playing and everybody 
would be having a good time. The speaker would 
enter dressed in spurs. A pink sweater would attract 
his attention and he would see no one else in the room 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 131 

all evening. Which only goes to prove that it is easy 
to give orders. 

Boiling said that we surely had the social evil 
in the hospital. He named them, and all agreed 
that the amount of their conversation was truly a 
social evil. 

One night the nurses were invited to a dance at 
Issoudun — the large American aviation centre in 
France. The nurses went to no end of trouble to get 
ready and to be ready when the time came to go. There 
were three bus loads and one was in charge of Stillman. 
His was the last car to start and it went in the general 
direction of Issoudun. But it never arrived. Just 
where they were, nobody knows, but they came back 
at four o'clock in the morning covered with dirt and 
dust. Stillman was not popular with several members 
of the nursing staff for days. This same officer dis- 
tinguished himself at a banquet by a most scientific and 
illuminating speech on the subject of leucocytes. 

One day between Christmas and New Year's (191 8) 
a notice was posted on the bulletin board that all men 
must be in their barracks at 9.15 that evening. No 
reason was given, but the rumor was started that some 
kind friend of the New York Hospital had sent every 
man of the Unit, $60 as a Christmas gift. One man was 
so sure of this that he bet his next pay day allowance. 
Needless to say every man was in quarters ready to 
cheer when the announcement would be made. Imagine 
the surprise and the unanimous groan when the officers 
appeared and announced, "Get undressed. We will 
have a medical inspection. " 

Before closing the chapter I would like to record 

some of the sentimental doings of the Unit. In this 

* respect history is still being written. Yet much love 



132 



THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 



and romance of the days in France will never be written 
by me. However the following were married. 



Capt. William Kellogg 
Miss Kathleen Kennedy 

Lt. Clay Ray Murray 

Miss Mary Savage Hamilton 

Major James P. Erskine . 
Miss Mary Evans . 

Capt. Addison Bissell . 
Miss Genevieve Cook 

Corporal Charles Corlett 
Miss Cecile Dubucnoy 

Pvt. Henry B. Chiljian . 



. M.C. U.S.A. 

A.N.C. U.S.A. 

. M.C. U.S.A. 

A.N.C. U.S.A. 

. M.C. U.S.A. 

A.N.C. U.S.A. 

. M.C. U.S.A. 

A.N.C U.S.A. 

. M.C. U.S.A. 



M.C. U.S.A. 



Mlle. Victorine Alexandrine Agorges 



Cpl. Harold B. Hall . 
Mlle. Marguerite Fadeau 



M.C. U.S.A. 



Since our return to the States, Captain Richard Ste- 
phens, M.C. U.S.A., and Miss Ella Mary Krans, A.N.C, 
were married in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. 
Lt. John Bertram Watson and Miss Laura Arnold were 
married in Calvary Church by the Chaplain. Lt. Col. 
Burton J. Lee and Miss Louise Freeman were married 
in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine by Bishop 
Burch. The engagement of Lt. Edward Duff, E.C 
U.S.A., to Miss Maude A. Towle, A.N.C, has been 
announced. Other engagements will soon be made 
known which only goes to prove that all is fair in war 
and . 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 133 

The following figures, which speak for themselves, 
will be a revelation to many members of the Unit. 
For instance: 

We used the following amount of food in one day. 

900 pounds of meat 

100 dozen of eggs 
1 500 pounds of potatoes 
1500 pounds of bread 

350 liters of fresh milk 

100 pounds of coffee 

450 pounds of sugar 

There were 15 cooks, 90 enlisted men and 25 French 
women working in the kitchen. The chief cook was a 
graduate of Columbia University and practised archi- 
tecture before joining the army., The chief of light 
diets was a fashion designer in civil life. Another cook 
was a dancer seen on the Broadway stage just a few 
weeks before the Unit sailed. Another was a travelling 
salesman for a tobacco house, while another ran an 
elevator in the Metropolitan building. 

With the dish-washer purchased by the New York 
Hospital enough dishes could be washed for 800 people 
every 30 minutes. 

The ice-machine produced 2000 pounds of ice every 
24 hours. 

The bakery could turn out enough cake, pies and 
cookies in sufficient quantity to feed 2000 people every 
day. A day's work would be 2500 doughnuts, 100 
cakes and 450 pies. 



134 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

The Christmas Dinner (191 8) consisted of the 
following: 

165 turkeys — weight 2200 pounds 
1500 pounds of potatoes 
600 pounds of carrots 
144 cans of peas 
354 mince pies 
25 pounds of nuts 
120 cans of cheese 
100 pounds of coffee 

Added to this was bread, and the bread used in 
making the dressing. 

1800 ton miles was the amount of trucking in a 
month necessary to feed the hospital. 

A marine boiler was installed to run the kitchen. 
The steam was transmitted to the coffee urn to boil 
the coffee. It ran the dish-washing machine and heated 
the water for the sinks. 

The C. O. ran the mess for a time. While watching 
the potatoes boil he would dictate a memorandum to 
his stenographer for Lt. Dugdale concerning the proper 
temperature of the water in which sheets were washed. 
This same C. O. after being in the kitchen for three 
days gave the mess sergeant a vacation for two weeks. 

Yes, the job was a hard one. 




135 




136 



CHAPTER XV. 
The Enlargement of the Hospital. 

When the Americans became active on the line and 
a large number of wounded were pouring into all the 
hospitals, word came that our plant would have to be 
enlarged. At that time we had 34 buildings of brick 
and stucco and 34 barracks of service de sante and 
adrian type. These were filled to overcrowding with 
patients. 

Immediately, authority was granted to requisition 
buildings in the town, and the Engineering Corps 
ordered to construct a convalescent camp of 1000 bed 
capacity. This was completed shortly after the sign- 
ing of the Armistice but was never used. The Ecole 
Normale, which we called Annex No. 1, was equipped 
and 200 patients sent there. Also the Barracks St. 
Christophe (Annex No. 2) holding 400 patients was 
taken over. Other buildings were requisitioned but 
the signing of the Armistice made it unnecessary for 
us to use them. 

We had an agreement with the French Govern- 
ment, that should they need hospital space we would 
take care of 200 wounded. During the summer of 
191 8 hospital space was needed and we took their full 
quota, most of the cases being seriously wounded. 
Because of the excellent way in which the patients 
were treated, Major Richard Boiling, 1st Lieut. Paul 
A. Dineen, Miss Mary Krans, Miss Lulu Ryan and 

137 



138 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

Sgt. Allen B. Tint were decorated with the "Medaille 
des Epidemies." Another member of the original 
Unit, Lt. Col. B. J. Lee, who became Consulting Sur- 
geon of the 2nd Division, was decorated with the Dis- 
tinguished Service Medal and the Croix de Guerre 
for efficient administrative work during the Chateau- 
Thierry drive. Sgt. William Atkinson was decorated 
by the French Government for the excellent work done 
on the hospital farm. 

On December 31st, 19 18, word was received that 
our organization was to be replaced and that we were 
to go home. This proved to be true in a measure, for 
on January 4th, 1919, Base Hospital 63 under the 
command of Col. Charles Wilcox came to take over 
the work. On January 14th, the patients numbering 
559, the property of the hospital, and the funds were 
turned over to their care. 

At that time our personnel was listed at 46 officers, 
86 nurses, 3 American civilians, 17 reconstruction 
aides, 268 enlisted men and 40 French civilians. With- 
in a few days, word was received from the Chief Surgeon 
to transfer all who had not been in France one year to 
Base Hospital 63. This cut our roll to 21 officers, 43 
nurses and 130 enlisted men. 

Lt. Col. Hawley was ordered back to the States 
for duty and the Command came to Major James P. 
Erskine who brought the Unit home. 




139 



CHAPTER XVI. 
The Last Days. 

These last days were the hardest days in France. 
We had finished our work, others had taken our places, 
we were wearing three service stripes, and we wanted 
to go home. Day by day we watched the mails for 
orders but they didn't come. We visited Paris, the 
line, and the Pyrenees. Our men went back to guard 
duty (after a few months in France only six men 
had been on guard, but the C. O. of Base Hospital 63 
felt that he needed at least 50) and did other duties 
around the Post. The nurses went back to the wards 
and the officers did all kinds of "military tictacs." 
On January 25th we went on the priority sailing list in 
the Chief Surgeon's office at Tours and on February 
10th we were dismissed from duty in the A. E. F. And 
still we waited and with Chief Weirauch said, "Je 
suis tres fache." 

But on March 4th our orders came and this is how 
they read : 

Base Hospital No. 9 — American E. F. 
France. 

March 4th, 19 19. 

SPECIAL ORDERS NO. $$ 
EXTRACT. 

Par. 5. In compliance with telegraphic instruc- 
tions from Troop Movement Bureau, Hdqrs. SOS 

140 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 



141 



Dated March 3d, 19 19, the following named officers and 
130 enlisted men will proceed from this station to 
Nantes, France, for return to the United States: 

Major James P. Erskine 
Major Francis W. Shine 
Major Louis B. Chapman 
Capt. G. Walter Zulauf 
Capt. H. V. Weihrauch 
Capt. F. S. Echeverria 
Capt. R. Stephens 
Capt. R. C. Blood 
Capt. F. E. Adair 
ist Lt. P. A. Dineen . 
ist Lt. A. H. Dugdale 
ist Lt. G. L. Rudasill 
ist Lt. M. H. Todd . 
ist Lt. J. B. Watson . 
ist Lt. R. S. Brown . 
ist Lt. John Lane 
ist Lt. R. T. Brogelmann 
ist Lt. R. G. Carothers 
2nd Lt. R. R. Hall . 
2nd Lt. W. G. Sharwell 

The travel directed is necessary in the military 
service. 

By order of Major Erskine. 

R. T. Brogelmann, 
ist Lt. San. Cps. U. S. A. 
Adjutant. 



M.C. 


U.S.A 


M.C. 


U.S.A 


M.C. 


U.S.A 


M.C. 


U.S.A 


M.C. 


U.S.A 


M.C. 


U.S.A 


M.C. 


U.S.A 


M.C. 


U.S.A 


M.C. 


U.S.A 


M.C. 


U.S.A 


M.C. 


U.S.A 


M.C. 


U.S.A 


M.C. 


U.S.A 


D.C. 


U.S.A 


Chaplain 




San. Cps. 




San. Cps. 




M.C. 


U.S.A. 


Q.M.C. 


U.S.A. 


San. Cps. 


U.S.A. 



The nurses went at the same time, but their order 
read to La Boule. Now we thought that we were 



142 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

going home, — but not so. That evening the train 
arrived at Nantes where our Billeting Officer, Capt. 
Johnson, told us that the nurses would go on to La Boule 
and that the officers and enlisted men would go out 
into the country to a place called Vallet where perhaps 
they would remain six weeks. Our hearts sank. 

But orders were orders. The nurses went on under 
the care of Major Boiling and on the following Satur- 
day, March 8th, they went to Brest and sailed for home 
on March 16th aboard the Leviathan. Their trip 
home was a pleasant one. Two of the nurses lost their 
suit cases by having them too near the railroad track 
and one of the number (Miss Jean McKay) had several 
ribs broken while boarding the train at Quimper. 

The men went on to Vallet and the officers followed. 
Vallet is a picturesque town surrounded by wonderful 
rolling hills and grape vineyards. There is a public 
square (which is really the town) on one corner of 
which was a cathedral-like church, with a clock that 
struck every fifteen minutes of the day and night. We 
were billeted around the place and for the greater part 
of our stay had as our companions Base Hospital 19 
(The Rochester Hospital Unit). This made twice as 
many Americans as French in the place. 

We were told that before we could leave there, we 
would have to prove that we were good children and 
at the same time pass an inspection on infantry drill 
and equipment. We had been provided with equip- 
ment at Chateauroux so that part was easy, but there 
had been no drill formations since the days at Govern- 
or's Island. We had been a war and not a peace- 
time organization. But the men drilled in the morn- 
ing, they drilled in the afternoon, they drilled rainy 
days and they drilled sunny days. They worked hard, 




143 



144 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

showed a fine spirit and were rewarded with a high 
mark by the inspecting officer. And then we waited 
to go home. Other organizations with less service 
went through Nantes and aboard ship. And still we 
waited. And still it rained. And we were a happy 
bunch! 

Then on the fifth of April all the officers but six 
were detached and sent to Brest and went home the 
following week on the George Washington. Those of 
us who were left settled back for another month at 
Vallet, but on Wednesday evening, April 9th, a Medical 
Officer came out from Nantes and gave us our exami- 
nation. Our orders came a few hours later and on 
Friday, April nth, we went to St. Nazaire. 

The work of those in charge of the Camp at St. 
Nazaire should be told. The work was done under a 
well regulated system, orders were carried out promptly, 
and everything moved like clock work. The comfort 
of all who should pass through there seemed to be of 
the first importance. 

That evening we went to Camp II where the next 
morning we had our medical examination, our passenger 
list checked and our orders made out. On Sunday, 
April 13th, we marched to Camp I, where the men's 
clothing was put through the sterilizer and some new 
equipment furnished. The men were paid here. That 
afternoon General Pershing inspected the Unit in com- 
pany with others who were to go aboard ship. The 
next day we went aboard ship under the following 
order: 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 



145 



SERVICES OF SUPPLY 

HEADQUARTERS EMBARKATION CAMP 

BASE SECTION NO. i. 

ST. NAZAIRE, FRANCE. 

13 April, 1919. 

SPECIAL ORDERS. NO. IO3. 
EXTRACT. 

Par. 22. The following named Hospital Units with 
strength in officers and enlisted men approximately as 
indicated, having reported to these Headquarters for 
return to the United States in compliance with Para- 
graph 6, Special orders No. 100, Headquarters United 
States Troops, Nantes, dated April 7, 19 19, will proceed 
at once on board the U. S. S. Princess Matoika, to 
the United States, reporting on arrival at the Port of 
Debarkation to the Commanding General thereof for 
instructions : 





OFFICERS 


MEN 


Base Hospital No. 1 


7 


I56 


Base Hospital No. 9 . . . . 


6 


130 


Base Hospital No. 52 . 


4 


I56 


Base Hospital No. 58 . 


4 


I5O 


Base Hospital No. 67 . . . 


5 


igi 


Base Hospital No. 68 . . . 


4 


195 


Evacuation Hospital No. 1 


4 


195 


Evacuation Hospital No. 2 


4 


159 


Evacuation Hospital No. 4 


2 


I48 



Compliance with this order, after arrival in the 
United States, is subject to such delays as may be 
imposed by the authorities at the Port of Debarkation 



146 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

in accordance with orders from the War Department 
relative to debarkation, quarantine and demobilization. 

The Quartermaster Corps will furnish the necessary 
transportation and subsistence enroute. 

The journey is necessary for the public service. 

By order of Colonel Parsons: 
C. T. Stahle, 
Major, C.A.C. 

Administrative Adjutant. 

We remained in Port two days because of a storm 
that was raging in the Bay of Biscay, but on Wednes- 
day, April 1 6th at 3.10 a.m. we left the pier and were 
homeward bound. 

The voyage was a pleasant one. All of the troops 
wanted to land in New York, but the Captain received 
orders to proceed to Newport News, Va. We landed 
there on Sunday morning, April 27th and went at 
once to Camp Hill. 

Here the men were given another medical exami- 
nation and their clothing was again sterilized. We 
stayed here until Saturday night when we were put 
aboard the Steamer Jamestown and sailed for New 
York. We were all glad of the opportunity of at least 
coming into New York Harbor. The next morning 
we went to Long Island City and then by train to Camp 
Upton. Here the organization waited until the 77th 
Division had been demobilized and on May 15th, 19 19, 
every man was given an honorable discharge. 

Since our return to the States an organization of 
the American Legion known as the New York Hospital 
Post has been formed. In this way, the fellowship 
and comradeship which meant so much to all during 
the days in France will be preserved. 




147 



AN APPENDIX. 

This part of the book will show: 

i. Number of Admissions and Dismissals 

2. The Curve of Patients in the Hospital 

3. The Number of Operations 

4. List of Cases Treated at the Hospital 

5. Summary of Post Farm Products 

6. The Hospital Fund Statement 

7. A Few Hospital Orders 

8. The Laboratory Report 



14S 



SOME INTERESTING STATISTICS. 



1. Admissions and 

BASE HOSPITAL NO. 



191 7 ADMISSIONS 

August 2 

September 13 

October 42 

November 1 89 

December 280 

1918 

January 585 

February 306 

March 75 1 

April 1,205 

May 610 

June 1,251 

July 1,974 

August 1,254 

September 1,640 

October 2,618 

November 1,584 . 

December 791 

1919 
January 1-13 124 863 678 

15,219 14,660 

To B. H. No. 63 559 

15,219 
Total deaths 1 54 

Dead on admission 21 

Death rate 133 

149 



Dismissals. 






9 ADMISSIONS AND DISMISSALS 






HOSPITAL 


DISMISSALS 
9 


AVERAGE 


DAYS. 


4 


3 


104 


16 


16 


498 


66 


92 


2,763 


211 


178 


5,534 


392 


383 


11,875 


370 


400 


11,207 


359 


363 


11,247 


1,045 


689 


20,669 


780 


824 


25,543 


928 


1,008 


30,226 


i,332 


1,212 


37,603 


1,782 


i,595 


49,459 


i,376 


i,336 


40,096 


2,132 


1,950 


60,450 


2,098 


1,813 


54,384 


904 


1,386 


42,978 



8,817 



0.87% 




150 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 
2. The Curve of Patients in the Hospital. 



151 



This is of unusual interest as it indicates rather 
clearly the prominent engagements in which the Ameri- 
cans took part. One can see that the curve rises 
shortly after the beginning of the Allied Offensive 
(July 14th, 19 1 8) also after the St. Mihiel and Argonne 
drives. It falls very rapidly after the signing of the 
armistice. (See chart on opposite page.) 

3. The Number of Operations. 











EYE, EAR, 


1917 


TOTAL GEN. 


SURG. 


ORTH. 


NOSE & THROAT 


September 


3 


3 








October 


5 


4 


I 





November 


31 


29 





2 


December 


51 


38 


3 


10 


January 


71 


52 


,5 


14 


February 


76 


65 


7 


4 


March 


69 


37 


8 


24 


April 


137 


80 


48 


9 


May 


157 


93 


60 


4 


June 


177 


104 


65 


8 


July 


211 


126 


78 


7 


August 


277 


187 


84 


6 


September 


190 


105 


73 


12 


October 


278 


191 


67 


20 


November 


275 


172 


81 


22 


December 


105 


65 


37 


3 


January 1-7 


l6 


10 


6 






2,129 



1,361 



623 



145 



4. List of Cases Treated at the Hospital. 

Completed cases— Base Hospital No. 9, September, 
191 7, January, 1919. 



152 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

Section I. 

INFECTIOUS AND EPIDEMIC DISEASES (TUBERCULOSIS AND 
VENEREAL DISEASES EXCEPTED). 



Chicken Pox 




1 


Diphtheria 




28 


German measles 




58 


Influenza 


1,041 




convalescent from 


60 


1,101 


Jaundice, acute infectious 




2 


Malaria 




7 


Measles 




58 


Meningitis, meningococcus 




21 


Meningitis carrier 




1 


Mumps 




332 


Purulent infection and septicemia 




1 


Erysipelas 




4 


Septicemia 




5 


Rheumatic fever, acute 


113 




articular rheumatism 


105 




muscular rheumatism 


53 


271 


Scarlet fever 


53 




convalescent from 


6 


59 


Tetanus 




5 


Trachoma 




5 


Trench fever 




4 


Typhoid fever 


3 




convalescent from 


1 


4 


Section II. 






TUBERCULOSIS. 







Bones and joints, tuberculosis of (including Pott's 

Disease) 29 

Larynx, tuberculosis of 1 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 153 

Pulmonary, acute, miliary tuberculosis 3 

chronic, incipient 6 

moderately advanced 65 

far advanced o 

under observation 125 199 



Other organs, tuberculosis of 

Lymphadenitis, tuberculous 8 

Peritoneum 2 

Testicle 1 

Tongue 1 12 



Section III. 

VENEREAL DISEASES. 



Gonococcus infection 




gonorrheal arthritis 


25 


gonorrheal diseases of the eye 


1 


gonorrheal epididymitis 


50 


gonorrheal lymphadenitis 


3 


gonorrheal stricture 


12 


gonorrheal urethritis 


191 


other effects of gonorrheal infection 




bubo 1 




rheumatism 2 




phimosis 2 




perineal abscess 1 




prostatitis 10 




seminal vesiculitis 2 




ureteral stricture 1 




orchitis 7 




papilloma 1 




paraphimosis 1 


28 



310 



154 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

Chancroid 



Syphilis 



chancroids multiple 
chancroidal lymphadenitis 
chancroidal paraphimosis 
chancroidal phimosis 

hereditary 

primary 

secondary 

tertiary 

stage undetermined 

under observation 

other effects of syphilis 

laryngitis 

lues 

neurosyphilis 

syphilophobia 

iritis 

scotoma 



40 

7 
2 

3 



52 



2 
47 
5i 
84 

2 

5 



197 



Section IV. 

GENERAL DISEASES. 



Addison's Disease 
Alcoholism, acute 

chronic 
Anemia, primary, pernicious 

secondary 
Diabetes mellitus 
Goiter, exophthalmic 
Gout 

Leukemia, myelocytic 
Obesity 
Purpura hemorrhagica 



8 

2 

3 

17 
2 
1 
1 
1 



BASE HOSPITAL, NO. 9, A. E. F. 



155 



Toxic results of preventive therapy 






paratyphoid vaccine 




I 


arsenic 




I 


Tumors 






iip 




2 


stomach 




2 


esophagus 




I 


brain 




2 


tongue 




I 


eye 




I 


leg 




2 


rib 




I 


location not given 




6 


Section V. 






NERVOUS DISEASES. 






Abscess of the brain 




i 


Chorea 




3 


Epilepsy (under observation) 




36 


Hemorrhage of the brain (non-traumatic) 




2 


Meningitis (other than tuberculous and 






meningococcus) 




7 


Migraine 




3 


Neuralgia 




5 


Neuritis, simple 


5 6 




multiple 


3 


59 


Paralysis 






nerves 






brachial plexus 


i 




facial nerve 


6 




sciatic 


2 




ulnar 


14 




musculospiral 


10 




median 


10 





18 



156 



THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 



Paralysis (continued) 








nerves (continued) 








thoracic 


i 






popliteal-external 


5 






musculo-cutaneous 


2 






crural 


I 


52 




muscles 








agitans atypical 


I 






pharyngeal muscles 


2 






anterior tibial muscles 


I 






muscles of leg 


5 






muscles of arm 


i 






muscles of abdominal wall 


2 






muscles of shoulders 


2 






pectoralis major 


I 


15 




paraplegia 





1 


68 


Tabes dorsalis 






1 


Other diseases of the nervous system 








syncope 




1 




hiccough 




1 




angioneurosis 




1 




lesion of the spinal cord 




2 




injury to nerves — result 


of GSW 






ulnar 


50 






median 


48 






popliteal 


14 






radial 


11 






brachial plexus 


5 






saphenous 


2 






anterior tibial 


3 






crural 


2 






cranial 


1 






perineal 


6 







sciatic 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 157 

Other diseases of the nervous system (continued) 

injury to nerves — result of GSW (continued) 
thoracic I 

hypoglossal i 

glossopharyngeal I 

musculo-spiral 35 189 194 



Section VI. 



MENTAL DISEASES AND EFFECTS. 



Constitutional psychopathic state 




4 


Dementia prsecox 




4 


General paralysis of the insane 




2 


Melancholia, involutional 




3 


Mental deficiency 




36 


Paranoia, and paranoiac conditions 




1 


Psychoneuroses 






hysteria 


28 




neurasthenia 


453 




psychasthenia 


4 




other forms 


3 


488 


Psychosis 






epileptic 


5 




manic depressive 


5 




traumatic 


1 


11 



Other mental diseases and defects under 
observation. 



56 56 



158 



THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 



Section VII. 



DISEASES OF THE EYE. 

Amblyopia 

Astigmatism 

Blepharitis 

Cataract 

Chalazion 

Choroiditis, suppurative 

Conjunctivitis (except trachoma) 

Dacryocystitis 

Glaucoma 

Hordeolum (Stye) 

Hypermetropia 

Iritis 

Keratitis 

Myopia 

Optic atrophy 

Presbyopia 

Pterygium 

Retinitis 

Rupture 

choroid 

conjunctiva 

iris 

Other diseases of the eye 

ulcer of cornea 
strabismus 
corneal opacity 
detachment of retina 
papillitis 

enucleation of eyeball 
foreign body in the eye 
bconjunctival hemorrhage 



su 
m 



3 

i 
i 

6 

9 

i 
i 
i 

2 

4 
5 



5 
6 5 

13 
6 

8 

i 

154 
6 

2 

I 

32 

16 

13 
1 1 

5 
i 

ii 

8 



iscellaneous diseases 



46 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 159 

Section VIII. 

DISEASES OF THE EAR. 



Mastoiditis 




53 


Otitis externa 




3 


Otitis media 




349 


Other diseases of the ear 






paracentesis 


i 




rupture of membrana tympani 


3 




impacted cerumen 


7 




miscellaneous 


2 


13 



Section IX. 



DISEASES OF THE NOSE. 



Adenoids 13 

Deviation of nasal septum 29 

Polypus, nasal 4 

Rhinitis 

acute * 13 

atrophic 9 

hypertrophic 8 30 

Sinus, empyema 1 

Sinusitis 53 

Other diseases of the nasal fossae 

epistaxis 1 

abscess of nasal septum 1 

miscellaneous 3 5 



160 



THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 



Section X. 

DISEASES OF THE THROAT. 



Abscess 



peritonsillar 
retropharyngeal 

Hypertrophied tonsils 

Laryngitis (except tuberculous and syphilitic) 

Pharyngitis 

Tonsillitis 



23 

1 



24 

47 

137 

75 
231 



Section XI. 



CIRCULATORY SYSTEM. 



Diseases of the heart 

Angina pectoris 1 

cardiac hypertrophy 5 

disordered heart action 

tachycardia 14 

bradycardia 1 15 

effort syndrome 286 

endocarditis, acute 15 15 

myocarditis, acute 3 

chronic 5 8 

pericarditis 4 

valvular heart disease 88 

other diseases of the heart 

aortic insufficiency 2 

rupture of heart 1 

miscellaneous 2 4 



427 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 161 

Diseases of the blood vessels 

aneurysm 2 

anteriosclerosis 2 

hemorrhoids 152 

phlebitis 1 6 

thrombosis 1 

varicose ulcer 2 

varicose veins 41 

varicocele 75 

other diseases of the blood vessels 1 292 

Diseases of the lymphatic system 

lymphadenitis 25 

lymphangitis 2 27 

Miscellaneous diseases of the circulatory system 

hemorrhage 4 

surgical shock * 4 



Section XII. 






RESPIRATORY SYSTEM. 






Asthma 




37 


Bronchitis 




587 


Bronchiectasis 




1 


Broncho-pneumonia 


135 




convalescent from 


3i 


166 


Emphysema 




11 


Hay Fever 




1 


Hemoptysis 




2 


Lobar pneumonia 


141 




convalescent from 


34 


175 



162 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

Pleurisy 



empyema 

empyema, convalescent from 

empyema, thoracic 

hemothorax 




34 
12 

1 
2 




pleurisy, sero-fibrinous 
fibrinous 


131 

47 


178 




pleuritic adhesions 
pneumothorax 




9 
3 


239 


seases of the respiratory system 






7 



Section XIII. 








DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 








Diseases of the mouth 








abscess, alveolar 




15 




gingivitis 




1 




glossitis 




2 




stomatitis 




1 




pyorrhea alveolaris 




25 




other diseases of the mouth 








dental treatment 




176 


220 


Diseases of the esophagus 






2 


Diseases of the stomach (cancer excepted) 








gastritis 




48 




hyperchlorhydria 




11 




other diseases of the stomach 








abscess of the stomach 


1 






gastroptosis 


2 






gastro-enteroptosis 


1 






gastric indigestion 


4 






miscellaneous 


9 


17 


76 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 

Diseases of the intestines 
abscess, retrocecal 
appendicitis, catarrhal 141 

suppurative 1 1 

convalescent-appendec- 
tomy 49 



163 



201 



colitis 
coloptosis 
constipation 
diarrhea 




12 
1 

23 

41 


enteritis 
entero-colitis 




80 
in 


gastro-enteritis 

hernia 

conval. — herniotomy 

intestinal obstruction 


285 
62 


94 

347 
4 


intestinal parasites 
ankylostoma 
trichinella spiralis 
other intestinal parasites 


1 
1 
1 


3 


ulcer of duodenum or jejunum 
gastro-duodenitis 


33 

1 


34 


other diseases of the intestines 
intestinal indigestion 2 
intestinal fermentation 3 
intestinal poisoning 7 
erythema, toxic-intestinal 1 
intestinal adhesions 2 
intestinal colic 1 
miscellaneous 5 


21 


Diseases of the anus 

abscess, periproctitic 
fissure of the anus 
fistula in ano 




1 

2 
13 



973 



164 THE NEW YORK I HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

Diseases of the anus (continued) 

other diseases of the anus 

fecal abscess 2 

ischio-rectal abscess 10 

peri-rectal abscess 2 

rectal abscess 2 

prolapse of rectum 1 

pruritus ani 2 19 35 

Diseases of the liver and gall bladder 

cholelithiasis 2 

cholecystitis 5 

cirrhosis of the liver 2 

jaundice, acute catarrhal 16 

other disease of the liver and gall 

bladder 7 3 2 

Diseases of the spleen 1 

Peritonitis 2 

adhesions of the peritoneum 14 16 



Section XIV. 

GENITOURINARY (NON-VENEREAL). 

Diseases of the Kidneys and Annexa 

hematuria 2 

nephritis, albuminuria 1 

acute 14 

interstitial, chronic 5 

parenchymatous, chronic 16 36 

pyelitis 3 

pyelonephritis 2 

pyonephritis 1 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 165 

Diseases of the Kidneys and Annexa (continued) 
other diseases of the kidneys 

polycystic kidneys i 

renal calculi 2 

nephrolithiasis 3 

glycosuria 3 

polyuria 1 10 

calculi of the urinary passages 

nephrolithiasis 2 

ureteral calculus 1 3 

diseases of the bladder 

cystitis 7 

fistula 1 

other diseases of the bladder 18 26 

diseases of the urethra, urinary 
abscess, etc. 

stricture * 9 

urethritis 5 

other diseases of the urethra 2 16 

diseases of the prostate 

hypertrophied prostate 2 

prostatitis 7 9 

non- venereal diseases of the geni- 
tal organs 

epididymitis 8 

hydrocele 23 

orchitis 88 

phimosis 46 

other non-venereal diseases of 

the genital organs 15 180 

Total cases genito-urinary, non-venereal . 288 



166 



THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 



Section XV. 



SKIN. 



Acne 






3 


Chilblain 






2 


Dermatitis 








internal cause 




3 




external cause, gas 









self-inflicted 









others 


5 


5 


8 


Eczema 






14 


Gangrene, venous obstruction 




3 




Raynaud's disease 




2 


5 


Herpes 






2 


Herpes zoster 






2 


Pediculosis capitis 




3 




corporis 




10 


13 


Pityriasis 






2 


Psoriasis 






16 


Pyodermia, abscess 




84 




carbuncle 




6 




furunculosis 




33 




impetigo 




7 




paronychia 




2 




ulcer (other than tuberculous 








or syphilitic) 




14 




general 




36 




miscellaneous 








dermoid cyst 


i 






lipoma 


i 






sebaceous cyst 


i 






pilonidal cyst 


2 


5 


187 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 167 

5 

IOI 

I 



Ringworm 






Scabies 






Seborrhea 
Trichophytosis 






Urticaria 






Other diseases of the skin 






cellulitis 




100 


callosities 




18 


infected blisters 




10 


miscellaneous 




5 


Section XVI. 






BONES AND ORGANS OF LOCOMOTION 




Diseases of the bone 






exostosis 




21 


osteomyelitis 


> 


144 


osteitis deformans 




2 


periostitis 




25 


other diseases of the bones 






spondylitis 


6 




Perthes' disease 


i 




miscellaneous 


2 


9 


Diseases of the joints 






ankylosis, bony, of joint 




39 


ankylosis, fibrous, of joint 




50 


arthritis 




266 


osteo-arthritis 




33 


coxa-vara 




1 


loose body in joint 




4 


synovitis 




116 


other diseases of the joints 




2 



133 



201 



511 



168 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

Miscellaneous diseases of the organs of locomotion 

bursitis 26 

flat foot 1,246 

hallux valgus 78 

hallux rigidus 4 

hammer toe 47 

hernia of muscle 5 

lumbago 10 

metatarsalgia 3 1 

myositis 20 

tenosynovitis 17 

trench foot 17 

other diseases of the organs of locomotion 

injuries to tendons 13 

equino varus 1 

talipes varus 5 

pes cavus 23 

ingrowing toe nail 14 

hypertrophied toe nail 1 

miscellaneous 3 60 1,561 



Section XVII. 

MALFORMATIONS AND ILL-DEFINED DISEASES. 



Acquired malformations 






atrophy 






muscular 


5 




of bone of foot 


1 


6 


contracture of muscle, 


fascia, 




tendon, etc. 




35 


other deformities 




22 



63 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 169 

Congenital malformations 

penis i 

inferior maxilla I 

feet 6 

testicles 3 

spine and back 4 

scoliosis 12 27 

Diseases not specified or ill-defined 

defective physical development 17 

sacro-iliac relaxation 1 

fever of unknown origin 13 

cicatrix 5 36 36 



No disease, feigned disease 






No case 


46 




malingering 


1 


47 


Section XVIII. 






EXTERNAL CAUSES. 






Burns, other than by gas 




34 


Concussion 






unknown (cerebral) 




5 


Dislocations 






clavicle 


1 




elbow 


5 




femur 


4 




hip 


5 




knee 50 






convalescent, arthrotomy of 






knee 30 


80 




scaphoid 


2 




shoulder 


14 




toe 


3 




vertebra 


2 




wrist 


2 


118 



170 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

Effect of heat and cold 

heat exhaustion 2 

frostbite 26 28 

Exhaustion 

from overexertion 38 

from exposure 3 

other causes 2 43 

Fractures 

fractures simple 

acetabulum 2 

acromion process 2 

astragalus 1 3 

clavicle 38 

CoIIes' 34 

coracoid 1 

cuboid 3 

cuneiform 4 

femur 45 

fibula 136 

glenoid cavity 1 

humerus 58 

ilium 3 

malar 4 

malleolus 40 

maxilla 23 

metacarpals 37 

metatarsals 52 

nasal bones 7 

olecranon 6 

os calcis 1 1 

os magnum 3 

patella 28 

pelvis 4 

phalanges, fingers 10 

phalanges, toes 18 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 171 



Fractures (continued) 






fractures simple (continued) 






Pott's 




22 


pubic bone 




2 


radius 




63 


ramus 




2 


ribs 




24 


scaphoid 




20 


scapula 




13 


skull 




22 


sternum 




3 


tibia 




129 


trapezoid 




1 


ulna 




43 


vertebra 




7 


fractures compound 






acromion process 


i 




astragalus 


,4 




clavicle 


1 




cuboid 


1 




cuneiform 


2 




femur 


8 




fibula 


24 




humerus 


21 




ilium 


1 




malleolus 


3 




maxilla, inf. and sup. 


8 




metacarpal 


27 




metatarsal 


14 




nasal 


1 




olecranon 


2 




os calcis 


5 




patella 


7 




phalanx, fingers 


19 




phalanx, toes 


7 




radius 


15 





934 



172 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

Fractures (continued) 

fractures compound (continued) 

epiphyseal of radius 2 

ribs 4 

scaphoid 5 

scapula 3 

skull 15 

tibia 3° 

ulna 17 247 

fractures, compound, comminuted 



acromion process 


6 


astragalus 


16 


clavicle 


22 


cuboid 


9 


cuneiform 


15 


femur 


50 


fibula 


52 


frontal bone 


1 


ilium 


4 


ischium 


2 


humerus 


107 


malar 


1 


malleoli 


9 


mastoid 


1 


maxillae 


23 


metacarpals 


125 


metatarsals 


73 


multiple 


1 


nasal 


2 


olecranon 


2 


os calcis 


15 


os magnum 


5 


patella 


13 


phalanges, fingers 


118 


phalanges, toes 


37 


radius 


102 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 173 

Fractures (continued) 

fractures, compound, comminuted (continued) 
ribs 7 

scaphoid 1 7 

scapula 26 

skull 20 

tibia 8 1 
trochanter 1 

ulna 68 
vertebra 5 

trapezium 2 

trapezoid 2 1,040 2,221 

Gas, absorption of deleterious 
mustard gas, contact 
mustard gas, inhalation 
gas inhalation, other than mustard 

Sprains Strains 

ankle 

back 

cervical region 

elbow 

knee 

shoulder 

wrist 

back 

foot 

leg and thigh 

sacro-iliac 

spine 

Iumbo-sacral 

Wounds — 

gun shot 

abdomen 

ankle 

arm 





272 






285 






896 


1,453 


* 


69 

2 
I 

3 

27 

3 
10 

6 

42 
1 

153 

2 






69 


388 


28 






65 






424 







174 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

Wounds (continued) 



gun shot (continued) 




axilla 


J 5 


back 


99 


buttock 


107 


chest 


120 


face 


120 


ears 


1 1 


eyes 


10 


nose 


7 


mouth 


3 


foot 


348 


forearm 


297 


elbow 


60 


gluteal region 


2 


hand 


574 


fingers 


12 


head 


139 


hip and pelvis 


18 


iliac region 


1 


inguinal region 


1 


knee 


142 


leg 


492 


lumbar region 


8 


multiple 


195 


neck and throat 


77 


perineum 


1 


scalp 


12 


shoulder 


238 


side 


12 


thigh 


530 


thorax 


2 


wrist 


70 


lacerated 




abdomen 


5 


ankle 


1 



4,240 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 175 



Wounds (continued) 




lacerated (continued) 




arm 


i 


back 


i 


brain substance 


i 


buttocks 


3 


chest 


i 


cranio-cerebral 


2 


elbow 


I 


eye 


I 


eyelid 


I 


face 


12 


finger 


9 


forearm 


5 


foot 


15 


gluteal region 


i 


genitals 


i 


hand 


27 


head 


10 


internal semi-lunar cartil- 




age 


2 


hip 


I 


knee 


9 


leg 


8 


multiple * 


9 


scalp 


17 


scrotum 


i 


shoulder 


i 


thigh 


14 


thorax 


6 


toe 


i 


wrist 


3 


incised 




arm 


i 


buttock 


i 


cheek 


2 



170 



176 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

Wounds (continued) 

incised (continued) 

foot 4 

hand 2 

wrist 2 12 



ntused 




abdomen 


16 


ankles 


15 


arm 


3 


back 


36 


buttock 


1 


chest 


7 


elbow 


7 


eye 


4 


fingers 


4 


foot 


40 


hand 


5 


head 


7 


hips 


10 


knee 


44 


leg 


10 


multiple 


17 


muscle 


1 


shoulder 


16 


side 


3 


thigh 


5 


wrist 


1 



abrasions 

buttock 1 

cheek 3 

elbow 1 

eye 1 

foot 6 

hand 2 

leg 5 



252 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 177 



Wounds (continued) 




abrasions (continued) 




multiple 


4 


neck 


i 


penis 


i 


thigh 


2 


Total number of wounds- 


-all classes 


other injuries 




amputations 




arm 


33 


finger 


157 


foot 


13 


forearm 


29 


hand 


i 


leg 


46 


thigh 


45 


toe 


* 52 



27 
. 4,701 



376 



INCOMPLETED CASES 

OR 

CASES TRANSFERRED TO OTHER HOSPITALS. 
Base Hospital No. q — A.E.F. 
September 19 17 — January 19 19. 



Section I. 

INFECTIOUS AND EPIDEMIC DISEASES (TUBERCULOSIS AND 
VENEREAL DISEASES EXCEPTED). 

Influenza 22 

Influenza, convalescent 2 9 5 1 

Meningitis, meningococcus 4 

Mumps 

Erysipelas 

Septicemia 

Rheumatic fever, acute 

Articular rheumatism 

Muscular rheumatism 

Scarlet fever 

Vincent's angina 

Section II. 

TUBERCULOSIS, PULMONARY. 

Pulmonary, acute, miliary 
Pulmonary, chronic, mod. advanced 
Pulmonary, tuberculosis, under observation 

Section III. 

VENEREAL DISEASES. 

Gonorrheal arthritis 
Gonorrheal disease of the eye 
Gonorrheal epididymitis 
Gonorrheal urethritis 
Chancroids, multiple 
Syphilis, primary 
Syphilis, secondary 

lot 



182 



THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 



Section IV. 

GENERAL DISEASES. 



Goiter, exophthalmic 



Neuritis 



Neurasthenia 



Section V. 

NERVOUS DISEASES. 

Section VL 

MENTAL DISEASES. 



Blepharitis 

Conjunctivitis 

Hypermetropia 

Myopia 

Optic atrophy 

Retinitis 



Mastoiditis 
Otitis media 



Section VII. 

DISEASES OF THE EYE. 



Section VIII. 

DISEASES OF THE EAR. 

Section IX. 

DISEASES OF THE NOSE. 



Deviation of the nasal septum 
Rhinitis, atrophic 
Rhinitis, hypertrophic 
Sinusitis 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 183 
Section X. 

DISEASES OF THE THROAT. 

Hypertrophied tonsils 3 

Laryngitis 5 

Pharyngitis 5 

Tonsillitis 5 

Other diseases of the larynx and pharynx I 



Section XI. 

CIRCULATORY SYSTEM. 

Effort syndrome 12 

Myocarditis, chronic I 

Pericarditis i 

Valvular heart disease , i 

Aneurysm I 

Hemorrhoids 9 

Phlebitis i 

Varicose veins i 

Varicocele 2 

Other diseases of blood vessels i 

Lymphadenitis 2 



Section XII. 

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM. 

Asthma I 

Bronchitis 3 1 

Broncho-pneumonia 4 

Lobar pneumonia 9 

Pleurisy, empyema, thoracic 3 

Pleurisy, sero-fibrinous 5 



184 



THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 



Section XIIL 



DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 



Dental treatment 

Gastritis 

Hyperchlorhydria 

Gastroptosis 

Appendicitis 

Constipation 

Enteritis 

Gastroenteritis 

Entero-colitis 

Hernia 

Intestinal obstruction 

Ulcer of duodenum 

Fistula in ano 



Section XIV. 



GENITO-URINARY (NON-VENEREAL). 

Nephritis acute 

Nephritis, parenchymatous, chronic 

Ureteral calculus 

Fistula 

Enuresis 

Prostatitis 

Orchitis 

Phimosis 

Section XV. 



SKIN. 



Pediculosis corporis 

Psoriasis 

Carbuncle 

Furunculosis 

Scabies 

Cellulitis 

Infected blisters 



9 
3 
i 
i 
ii 

2 

3 

i 

3 

2 

I 
2 

2 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 185 

Section XVI. 

BONES AND ORGANS OF LOCOMOTION. 

Exostosis 2 

Osteomyelitis g 

Periostitis i 

Arthritis 8 

Osteo-arthritis I 

Synovitis 2 

Flat foot 9 

Lumbago 2 

Myositis 2 

Ingrowing toe nail i 



Section XVII. 

MALFORMATION, ILL-DEFINED DISEASES. 

Section XVIII. 

EXTERNAL CAUSES. 



Dislocations 



Fractures, simple 


46 




compound 


10 




compound, comminuted 


46 


102 


Gas, mustard contact 


4 




mustard inhalation 


2 




other than mustard inhalation 


7 


13 


Sprain and strain 




5 


Wounds, gun shot 


133 




lacerated 


6 




contusions 


8 


147 


Amputations 




4 



186 



THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 



RECAPITULATION. 



Complete Incomplete Total 



INFECTIOUS AND EPIDEMIC 
DISEASES 

TUBERCULOSIS 

VENEREAL DISEASES 

GENERAL DISEASES (OTHER) 

NERVOUS DISEASES 

MENTAL DISEASES AND EF- 
FECTS 

diseases of the eye 
diseases of the ear 
diseases of the nose 
diseases of the throat 
circulatory system 
respiratory system 
digestive system 
genito-urinary (non- 

venereal) 
diseases of the skin 
bones and organs of loco- 
MOTION 
MALFORMATIONS AND ILL- 



i>973 


80 


2,053 


241 


4 


245 


559 


24 


583 


57 


1 


58 


379 


3 


382 


605 


5 


610 


409 


9 


418 


418 


8 


426 


135 


10 


145 


514 


19 


533 


750 


32 


782 


1,226 


53 


1,279 


i>355 


41 


1,396 


288 


14 


302 


473 


13 


486 



2,240 



37 



2,277 



NED DISEASES 




173 





173 


MAL CAUSES 




9,379 


273 
626 


9,652 


GRAND TOTAL 


21,174 


21,800 


TOTAL NUMBER 


OF 


PATIENTS TREATEE 


> 


15,219 


TOTAL NUMBER 


OF 


DISEASES TREATED 




21,800 



V. Summary of Post Farm Products. 

This farm of 27 acres was worked under the direc- 
tion of Sgt. William Atkinson and Private George 
Keeny. The statement which follows does not give 
all the facts, but it is a conservative and minimum 
estimate of the value of the farm products. 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 



187 



Base Hospital No. 9, A. E. F., France. 



SUMMARY OF POST FARM PRODUCTS TO JANUARY 1ST, I919. 


Radishes . 


138 


Bunches . 


Frcs. 27 . 60 


Spinach 


245V2 


Kilos . . 


245.50 


Lettuce 


904 


Heads . 


90.40 


Peas 


. i,428 2 /n 


Kilos . . 


1,811.75 


Onions 


440 l %i 


Kilos . . . 


291 .00 


Onions, small . 


1,040 


Bunches . 


104.00 


Carrots 


15 


Kilos . . 


16.75 


String Beans . 


494 10 /n 


Kilos . . 


989.75 


Potatos 


7,73i 9 /n 


Kilos . . 


4,638.20 


Parsnips . 


96V11 


Kilos 


62.95 


Pumpkins 


65 




294 . 50 


Tomatoes 


1,025 


Kilos . . 


1,088.85 


Cabbage . 


280 


Kilos . . 


196.00 


Cabbage . 


5,765 


Heads . 


3>390-50 


Cauliflower . 


850 


Heads . * . 


850.00 


Carrots 


. 825 


Bunches . 


206.25 



Grain 



Total value to Mess Frcs. 14,304 . 00 

1,387 Kilos . . . 762.85 

Total garden value . Frcs. 15,066.85 

HOGS PURCHASED. 



St. Gaultier . 


10 @ Fes. 


220.00 


Frcs. 2,200.00 


Ardentes 


12 @ 


125.00 


1,500.00 


St. Gaultier . 


16 @ 


159 -375 • 


2,550.00 


Chateauroux 


15 @ 


130.00 


1,950.00 


Ardentes 


13 @ 


180.00 


2,340.00 


Ardentes 


27 @ 


210.00 


5,670.00 


Ardentes 


21 @ 


200.00 


4,200.00 


Chateauroux 


30 @ 


185.00 


5,550.00 


St. Gaultier . 


24 @ 


110.00 


2,640 . 00 
Frcs. 28,600.00 



188 



THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 



HOGS SUPPLIED TO MESS DEPARTMENT. 



MONTH 


NO. 


COST PRICE 


SELLING PRICE 


PROFIT 




CASH ( 


BASED ON MARKET) 


May 


I 220.00 


527 . 80 Frcs. 


307.80 


June 


2 






440 . 00 


1,208.90 


768 . 90 


July 


I 






220.00 


500 . 00 


280.00 




I 






I25.OO 


200 . 00 


75.00 


Aug. 


6 

4 






1,320.00 { 
520 . 00 j 


2,500.00 


660 . 00 


Sept. 


5 - 
3 






796.875! 

540.00 J 


3,240.00 


1,903.125 


Oct. 


10 . 
3 






1,800.00 \ 
390.00 j 


4,050.00 


1860.00 




15 






3,150.00 


4,950 . 00 


1,800.00 


Nov. 


3 
5 






630.00 
1,050.00 1 


825 . 00 


195.00 




5 
5 






1,000.00 I 

925.00 


4,650.00 


1,675.00 


Dec. 


2 






420.00 j 








2 

2 






370.00 1 

400 . 00 j 


1,620.00 


430 . 00 




8 






1,600.00 


2,110.00 


510.00 



83 



15,916.875 26,381.70 



10,464.825 



HOGS SOLD FOR CASH ON MARKET. 







COST 


SELLING 




PLACE 


NO. 


PRICE 


PRICE 


PROFIT 


Chateauroux 


6 


750 . 00 


1,900.00 


. Frcs. 1,150.00 


Chateauroux 


5 


625.OO 


1,325.00 


700 . 00 


Dupeux . 


2 


260 . 00 


400 . 00 


140.00 


A. Not . . . 


10 


i,593-75 


2,500.00 


906.25 


Chateauroux 


. 6 


780 . 00 


1,500.00 


720 . 00 


Dupeux . 
Dupeux . 


4 


800.00 j 


3,600.00 


j6^ . 00 


11 


2,035.00 j 






Montierchaume 


3 


555.00 


600 . 00 


45 . 00 



47 7,398.75 11,825.00 



4,426.25 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 



189 



LOST THROUGH DEATH 

i @ 159.375 Frcs. 159.375 

2 @ 200.00 400.00 

2 @ 210.00 420.00 



Total Loss 5 



Hogs Purchased 
Market Sales 
Value to Hosp. Mess . 
Loss Through Death . 
On Hand, Jan. 1st, 1919 
Profit. . . . 



Frcs. 979-375 



168 



Frcs. 
28,600.00 



47 

83 

5 

33 



Cost 
• • • 
11,825.00 
26,381.70 

979-375 
2,346.25 



12,932.325 



168 168 41,532.325 41,532.325 

Above profit was figured on the oasis of the mess 
department being a cash buyer. 

VI. The Hospital Fund Statement for One Month. 

OCTOBER, 19 1 8. 

This statement is given to show the cost and the 
amount of food which was required to care for the 
hospital. 

RECEIPTS. 

Balance on Hand 31,418.34 

Cash Received 

For Enlisted Men Sick in Hospital 
American Civilian 
" Enlisted Men, U. S. Navy 
A. N. C. on duty in Hospital 
Men U. S. Marine in Hospital 
French Soldiers Sick 



183,546.00 frcs. 

3171.90 
32.70 

7,599.48 

4,954 . 05 

147.15 



190 



THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 



Cash Received 

For Italian Soldiers Sick 
" British 

General Prisoners " 
Cash Received From 

Officers Sick in Hospital 
Sale of Pigs 
Sale of Stores 
Sale of Paper 



Fat 



1,739. 64 f res. 

215.82 
1,124.88 

7,082 . 90 
1,500.00 
1,058.85 

118.00 

214.00 

188.00 
1,194.85 



245,306.56 



EXPENDITURES. 




Quartermaster Chateauroux 


I39»597.32 frcs 


1 a it 


6,610.20 


1 it t( 


3,529.42 


( tt tt 


1,100.00 


t tt a 


2,512. 10 


t tt it 


2,484 . 60 


( St (( 


2,291 .20 


i n «« 


4,087.60 


« tt a 


554.40 


M. Barchetto (Eggs) 


1,440.00 


t tt tt 


1,687.50 


Ecole Normale 


558.00 


' A. Roblin (Meat) 


2,247.40 


' A. Ledoux (Milk) 


6,160.80 


' E. Eabouin (Milk) 


717.41 


Ardelet et Boursier (Eggs and Chicken) 


3,911 .00 


' P. Granger (Milk) 


650.00 


A. Laverque (Meat) 


3,443-07 


1 E. M. Vallet (Groceries) 


327.05 


L. Chevreau (Groceries) 


16,233.20 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 191 

To Duran (Groceries) 28.201'rcs. 

Salnon (Milk) 128.10 

' J. AIner (Groceries) 2,185.55 

Open Market Purchases 4,161.45 

" H. Dupont 750.00 

" A. Not 



a 



595.00 
Labbe Freres 161.00 



. . 208,151.57 

Total Unpaid Bills 17,721 .00 

225,872.57 

Cash Received 245,306.56 

Expenditures 225,872 . 57 

Balance 19,433-99 frcs. 

VII. A Few Hospital Orders. 

There was a time in the life of the* Unit when floods 
of memoranda went out from a certain office to all parts 
of the hospital. These writings covered everything 
under the sun, and showed great care in preparation, 
a wide knowledge of hospitalization, and a keen sense 
of humor. They are interesting and should be at least 
on record in a history* of the Unit. I have preserved 
some: 

MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHIEF NURSE. 

Many of the nurses are in the habit of referring to 
patients sick in the hospital as "boys." The com- 
manding officer is of the opinion that a little reflection 
will convince anyone that the work which has been laid 
out for the American soldier to do in France is that of 
men and not of boys. It is, of course, true that many 
of these soldiers are in point of age not more than boys; 
nevertheless, the fact that they have already accom- 



192 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

plished many duties of such severity as would tax the 
capacity of the average man, makes them, it seems, 
worthy of being dignified by the title of "Man." The 
commanding officer desires that all officers, nurses, 
secretaries and soldiers pertaining to this command 
refrain from referring to any soldier of the American 
Army as "Boy." He should be spoken of as "non- 
commissioned officer, soldier, patient" or finally in a 
general way as "man." 

MEMORANDUM FOR DETACHMENT COMMANDER. 

i. Upon the recommendation of the Chief of the 
Medical Division, it is directed that you cause all en- 
listed members of this command to be weighed twice 
a month at the time of the bi-monthly physical inspec- 
tions. This weighing should be done in person by a 
responsible non-commissioned officer and he should 
keep a book in which the weights of all enlisted mem- 
bers of the personnel of this command will be entered 
upon each occasion, so that the weights of all men may 
be open to inspection by proper officers at any time. 
Any member of this command who is found to be 
progressively losing weight or who is shown to have 
lost a considerable amount of weight in any one week 
will be referred directly to the Chief of the Medical 
Division for examination. 

(Note.) The men were able to keep up their 
weight by a combination of Alexander's Rag Time 
Mess and the Buvette across the street. 

HOSPITAL ORDER. NO. 53 

i. The following regulations governing the ad- 
ministrative conduct of the wards of this hospital are 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 193 

published for the information and guidance of all 
concerned: 

A WARD SURGEON. 

The ward surgeon is charged with the entire re- 
sponsibility for the administration and discipline of the 
ward to which he is assigned. He will see that proper 
and formal requisitions are made for supplies of all 
kinds which are needed for use in the ward. He will 
satisfy himself that the amounts for which he makes 
requisition are not excessive and he will be responsible 
for the proper and economic use of all supplies issued to 
him. He will give memorandum receipts to the 
Quartermaster covering all non-expendable property 
in his ward. This should include both property fur- 
nished by the United States Government, by the Red 
Cross, or received from the French Service de Sante. 
The ward surgeon will have all such non-expendable 
property checked once a month by his wardmaster. 

The ward surgeon will see that all poison and habit- 
forming drugs, when necessarily present in his ward, 
are kept in a secure place and he will be responsible for 
the adoption of all necessary measures to prevent any 
improper use of the same. 

Upon the death of a patient, the ward surgeon will 
immediately cause the Registrar to be notified of the 
same and the Registrar in turn will transfer the in- 
formation to the Quartermaster, the Pathologist and 
the Chaplain. 

The ward surgeon will see that the duties assigned 
in accordance with the terms of these regulations to his 
assistants, to the nurse in charge, the assistant nurses, 
the wardmaster, and the orderlies, are properly per- 
formed, and he will coordinate all the activities of the 



194 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

nursing and enlisted personnel. He will exact of all 
patients a strict compliance with the requirements both 
of general military discipline and of all orders and 
regulations promulgated from Post Headquarters or 
by himself. He will see to the proper policing of all 
parts of the ward and he will require of patients neat- 
ness and orderliness at all times. He will hold himself 
responsible for the proper professional care and treat- 
ment of all patients in his ward. All orders concerning 
such treatment which are given by the Chiefs of Sec- 
tions will in every instance, except those of pressing 
emergency, be given either verbally or in writing to 
the ward surgeon, or one of his assistants, and by him 
transmitted to the nurse in charge. 

The ward surgeon, or one assistant in each ward, 
will routinely be present in his ward when dinner and 
supper are served to patients, provided he is on the 
Post and is not engaged in professional or official duties 
which take him elsewhere. He will also visit his ward 
at least once between the hour when lights are ex- 
tinguished (hereinafter specified) and 4.00 A.M. This 
for the purpose of seeing that regulations regarding 
lights are enforced and that all patients are in bed. 

He will be held responsible for the proper keeping 
of all records pertaining to patients in his ward, the 
proper completion of the same when the case is closed 
and their prompt transmission to the office of the 
Registrar. In this connection, all ward surgeons and 
assistants must familiarize themselves with those parts 
of the Manual of the Medical Department which 
relate to the administration conduct of wards and also 
to the records of cases which are required in accordance 
with the provisions of said manual. 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 195 

B NURSE IN CHARGE. 

The duties of the nurse in charge are confined to the 
carrying out of orders of the ward surgeon, so far as 
they relate to the professional care and treatment of 
patients. For the proper performance of this function, 
she will assign, under the direction of the ward surgeon, 
the assistant nurses under her to the performance of 
the necessary duties. 

She will inform the chief wardmaster, or the ward- 
master, immediately of any infractions of military 
discipline on the part of patients which come under her 
notice. She will indicate to the wardmaster the neces- 
sity for such professional treatment as is ordinarily 
accorded male patients in civil hospitals by orderlies, 
and the receipt by the wardmaster of such information 
from the nurse in charge reIative,to any patients, shall 
be held at all times to constitute an order from the 
ward surgeon in person to proceed with the treatment 
indicated. Such treatment includes the administration 
of enemas, catheterization, taking of rectal tempera- 
tures, etc., etc. Temperatures by mouth will in all 
instances be taken by nurses and not by enlisted men. 
In connection with this relationship between the pro- 
fessional duties of the nurse in charge and those of the 
wardmaster, it is to be understood by all concerned 
that no military authority over enlisted men vests in 
reserve nurses of the Army Nurse Corps. 

The nurse in charge of each ward will prepare and 
transmit to the dietitian, not later than 4.00 P.M. 
daily, a list of the special and liquid diets ordered by 
the ward surgeon for patients in her ward for all meals 
of the following day. 

The nurse in charge of each ward will be designated 



196 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

from time to time by the commanding officer on recom- 
mendation of the chief nurse. 

C CHIEF WARDMASTER. 

The chief wardmaster is charged with the general 
supervision of the activities of all wardmasters and 
orderlies. He is an assistant to all ward surgeons and 
will be used by them to supervise the police and disci- 
pline of their wards and to give instruction, under their 
direction, to wardmasters and orderlies in the proper 
performance of administrative and professional duties 
which pertain to the latter. 

He w T iII not, in his capacity of chief wardmaster, be 
held to be possessed of any authority which in the 
slightest degree transcends that of the ward surgeons, 
nor will he give to wardmasters or orderlies upon his 
own initiative, any orders which are not in complete 
accord with the w T ishes of the w T ard surgeon, except as 
hereinafter specified. When, however, a written mem- 
orandum of instructions is sent by the commanding 
officer or adjutant directly to the chief wardmaster, 
the possession by him of such memorandum will be 
held to constitute an order from the commanding 
officer to ward surgeons and all other persons con- 
cerned, and its provisions will, therefore, be obeyed 
accordingly. 

The chief wardmaster w T iII report in person to ward 
surgeons all violations of military discipline or of police 
regulations of which he shall have become cognizant 
in relation to their wards. 

He will make in person to the commanding officer 
or to the adjutant such reports and recommendations as 
shall have to do with the general policy of discipline 
and police in all the wards. 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 197 

He will collect from each patient, when so desired 
by that patient one letter on Monday and one letter on 
Thursday of each week, and will transmit the same to 
the postmaster to be properly censored and mailed. 
He will also similarly collect five post cards per week 
from each patient. [This order was soon changed.] 

He is charged with the duty of seeing that the 
authorized lights in and in front of each ward, as herein- 
after specified, are lighted and extinguished at the 
designated hours. 

He will accompany the commanding officer or the 
inspecting officer each morning at the daily inspection 
of the wards and the admission building. 

D WARDMASTER. 

The wardmaster, under the direction of the ward 
surgeon, is immediately responsible for the discipline 
and police of the ward of which he is in charge. He 
will obey all instructions given him by the chief ward- 
master, which are not at variance with orders given 
him by the ward surgeon. 

He will require of all patients in his ward a strict 
compliance with the dictates of military discipline, and 
he will take in emergencies all necessary measures to 
enforce such discipline, reporting his action as soon as 
possible to the ward surgeon or to the chief ward 
master. Cases of violation of military discipline, re- 
ported to him by the nurse in charge or an assistant 
nurse, will be dealt with by him at once if in the nature 
of an emergency, or will be reported by him to the ward 
surgeon or chief wardmaster, and should such violation 
of discipline have to do with the nurse herself, the 
wardmaster will take immediate and summary action 



198 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

in the case, using all means at his command, and will 
make a complete report of the matter to the ward 
surgeon or chief wardmaster at the earliest opportunity. 

He will also be responsible, under the supervision 
of the ward surgeon, for procuring from the kitchen 
and serving all full diets. 

He will also be responsible for seeing that all patients 
are made acquainted with such portions of these regula- 
tions as apply to them as soon after their admission to 
the ward as shall be compatible with their physical 
condition. 

Under the direction of the ward surgeon, he will 
assign the ward orderlies to the performance of the 
various duties. 

The wardmaster will be designated by the ward 
surgeon from among the enlisted men assigned to duty 
in his ward and in making this selection, the ward 
surgeon will invariably designate as wardmaster the 
enlisted man who shall be of the highest grade,— for 
example, no private shall be assigned to duty as ward- 
master when privates first-class are on duty in the 
ward, nor will a private first-class who has held that 
grade for a shorter time be designated as wardmaster 
of his ward when there is on duty in that ward a private 
first-class who has held the rank for a longer period. 

E PATIENTS. 

All patients admitted to wards will, without excep- 
tion, be given liquid diet until such time as full, light, 
or special diet is ordered for them by the ward surgeon. 

Patients will at all times be required by the ward 
surgeon to comport themselves in such manner as shall 
accord with the dictates of military discipline. 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 199 

Ward surgeons are charged with the duty of seeing 
that all patients perform as much light duty as it is 
consistent with the most rapid possible recovery of 
their health. All convalescent patients who are al- 
lowed to be out of bed will, upon rising in the morning, 
be required to make up their beds according to pre- 
scribed methods. They will likewise be required to 
keep clean and to arrange neatly all their personal 
effects as prescribed by the ward surgeon, this particu- 
larly in preparation for the daily inspection. 

Such patients as are physically qualified will be 
assigned in such numbers as may be necessary by the 
ward surgeon to police duty in his ward. All other 
patients who are physically qualified for duty in the 
kitchen or for light duty out of doors, under the direc- 
tion of the police sergeant or other non-commissioned 
officer, will be sent each morning at Fatigue Call 
(7.50 A.M.) by the ward surgeon and under charge of 
the wardmaster or a ward orderly, to the office of the 
adjutant, by whom they will be assigned to specific 
duty for that day. In this connection, it is to be 
understood that the demands of the mess have first 
claim on the services of patients, except that patients 
from the venereal and tuberculosis wards will not be 
assigned to duty in the kitchen. 

All patients who are able to be out of bed will be 
habitually clothed in the ward suits furnished by the 
Red Cross, and ward surgeons are charged with the 
responsibility of seeing that so far as the supply of 
these suits is adequate every convalescent patient in 
his ward is equipped with one of the same. These 
suits, as well as all other hospital clothing worn or used 
by each patient, will be either laundered or disinfected 
before being used by any other patient. At no time 



200 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

and under no circumstances will any patient be allowed 
to have any portion of his military uniform so long as 
he shall remain in this hospital until it is time for him 
to clothe himself preparatory to his discharge from the 
hospital, except by special authority from the com- 
manding officer. 

Gambling and the introduction of beverages con- 
taining alcohol into the hospital buildings or grounds, 
on the part of patients, are strictly forbidden. 

No patient will be permitted to leave his ward after 
supper at night except for the purpose of attending 
cinematographic representations or other forms of 
entertainment, and in such cases all patients from each 
ward shall go to such entertainment in charge of one 
of the orderlies on duty in that ward (to be designated 
by the wardmaster or the chief wardmaster) who will 
be responsible for seeing that such patients return to 
the ward immediately upon the close of the entertain- 
ment. 

All patients will be in bed at the hour when lights 
in the wards are extinguished as hereinafter specified. 

f — visitors. 

At no time and under no circumstances will visitors 
who are not physicians or surgeons be allowed in the 
wards, except by express authority of the commanding 
officer in writing. 

G — LIGHTS. 

One light will burn in the gallery in front of each 
ward in which there are actually patients present from 
dark until 9.15 P.M. daily, except on such evenings as 
cinematographic representations or other forms of 
entertainment are being held which do not close until 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 201 

after 9.00 P.M. in which case the aforementioned lights 
shall be extinguished at fifteen minutes after the close 
of such cinematographic representation or other enter- 
tainment. 

One light in the office of the nurse in charge will be 
kept burning all night. 

All other lights in the wards shall be extinguished 
at 9.15 P.M. daily except on evenings when cinemato- 
graphic representations or other forms of entertain- 
ment are being held, in which case such lights in each 
ward shall be extinguished fifteen minutes after the 
close of said entertainment. Nothing in this para- 
graph shall be interpreted as forbidding the use of any 
light in toilets, halls, or rooms in any ward at such time 
during the night as the use of such light shall be deemed 
necessary by the ward surgeon, or by the nurse in 
charge, or by the wardmaster. The chief wardmaster 
is charged with the duty of carrying out all the provi- 
sions of this paragraph and when he is absent from the 
post on authorized pass or for any other proper reason, 
he shall designate the wardmaster on duty in any one 
of the wards who is of the highest grade to perform 
these duties in his stead. 

H SMOKING. 

Under no circumstances will patients who are able 
to be out of bed be allowed to smoke in bed. Ward 
surgeons may, in their discretion, however, designate 
a certain place (preferably the hallway, which in all 
wards separates the two ends of the building) where 
convalescent patients may smoke and will see that the 
necessary receptacles for cigarette ends, matches, etc., 
are provided. Patients confined to their beds may be 
granted permission by the ward surgeon to smoke in 



202 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

bed in his discretion, but such permission must be 
always with the proviso that ashes, cigarette ends, 
matches, etc., are to be carefully deposited in con- 
tainers placed on the bedside table for that purpose. 
Patients who abuse this privilege with reference to the 
use of tobacco, will have the privilege denied them by 
the ward surgeon. No smoking on the part of any 
patients will be permitted under any circumstances 
after the hour when lights are extinguished at night, 
or before reveille in the morning. 

i — officers' ward. 

A strict adherence to the terms of these regulations 
in the cases of officers sick in hospital is not required. 
Ward surgeons are authorized to give to officers such 
additional privileges as they may deem compatible 
with their rapid recovery. 



These regulations will be supplemented by addi- 
tional memoranda issued from time to time as occasion 
may arise. All hospital orders, memoranda, or other 
rules and regulations heretofore issued, which are found 
to be in conflict with the provisions of this order, are 
hereby revoked. 

MEMORANDUM FOR DETACHxMENT COMMANDER. 

I. In view of the fact that recent changes in the 
Infantry Drill Regulations require that all enlisted 
men in ranks, armed with the rifle, come to the " Present 
Arms" during the national anthem or when "To the 
Color" is sounded, I am inclined to think that under 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 203 

the same circumstances the hand salute should be 
required of all enlisted men in rank not under arms. 

2. I shall endeavor to obtain an official opinion on 
this matter but until such opinion is obtained, I desire 
that all enlisted men of this command render the indi- 
cated salute, whether they be in ranks or standing 
individually, when at retreat the musician of the guard 
blows "To the Color." 



MEMORANDUM FOR NURSES. 

Nurses who danced with enlisted men at the St. 
Patrick's Day dance on the evening of March i8th 
will sign below. 

(Note.) Eleven signed. 

MEMORANDUM. 

i. Hereafter no enlisted patients in this hospital 
will be allowed to leave that portion of the hospital 
grounds which is comprised within the inner enclosure, 
except by special written authority from the command- 
ing officer or adjutant. , 

2. Patients who are allowed by their ward sur- 
geons to be out of doors will not leave the immediate 
vicinity of their wards, except to go to cinematographic 
representations, etc., to the post exchange, and to 
places such as the kitchen, bureau of surgical dressings, 
etc., where they have been assigned to duty. In all 
instances patients who have left their wards for any of 
the foregoing purposes will return to their wards imme- 
diately upon the completion of the entertainment, upon 
completion of the purchases which they are authorized 
to make in the post exchange, or upon completion of 



204 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

the duty to which they may have been assigned in 
various parts of the hospital. 

3. Patients will not be allowed to congregate or 
stand in or under the gallery. The spaces on the sides 
of the wards are the spaces which are to be used for 
out-of-door recreation by patients. 

4. Ward surgeons are charged with seeing that 
their nurses in charge, wardmasters, and patients are 
made familiar with the provisions of this memorandum, 
and that a strict compliance with the terms thereof is 
required of all concerned. 

(Note.) This order was soon changed and patients 
were allowed the freedom of the hospital grounds and 
frequent passes to Chateauroux. 

MEMORANDUM. 

i. Effective Tuesday, October 23rd, 191 7, all 
Nurses will report daily at 10.30 A.M. (except Sunday) 
to the Director of Instruction for setting-up exercises 
for a period of thirty (30) minutes. 

MEMORANDUM. 

i. Information has been received to the effect 
that the supplies of paper will probably not be sufficient 
to meet all the demands. In view of this, hereafter all 
memoranda of an informal character, which pass be- 
tween individuals of this post will, so far as possible, 
be sent upon paper which would otherwise be destroyed 
as waste paper. For example, official letters, which 
are no longer required for file, will be put aside and the 
reverse surfaces of the paper upon which such letters are 
written will be used for the memoranda, the subject 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 205 

matter of the letter itself being crossed out with a stroke 
of the pen. Unused typewriter paper will not be used 
under any circumstances for these informal memoranda 
nor will it be used for requisitions. Requisitions may 
be submitted on pieces of paper cut from the ordinary 
scratch pad of size about 4"x8>£", if no waste paper as 
previously described is available. 



MEMORANDUM FOR CHIEF NURSE. 

i. The routine administration of the detachment 
of reserve nurses, Army Nurse Corps, on duty at this 
hospital, is hereby and until further orders placed in 
the hands of the adjutant. The monthly assignment 
of nurses to duty will be made by him, daily and 
emergency changes in assignment of nurses to duty will 
likewise be made by him. Requests^ for late permission 
submitted by individual nurses will be submitted to the 
adjutant through the chief nurse, and will be accom- 
panied by her recommendation. 

Such permission will not, unless under exceptional 
circumstances, extend to a later hour than n.oo P.M. 
The "Monthly Efficiency Report" of nurses will here- 
after be submitted by the adjutant to the commanding 
officer. Requests for leave of absence on the part of 
nurses will be submitted through the chief nurse to the 
adjutant, but no such leave will be granted until the 
application therefor has been approved by the com- 
manding officer. 

MEMO FOR CHAPLAIN BROWN. 

Chaplain Raymond S. Brown will assume charge 
of the laundry. 



206 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

MEMO FOR LIEUT. DUGDALE. 

Police all outside 
Police all toilets except nurses' 
Police bathrooms, both buildings 
Fatigue suits to be supplied as soon as obtained. 
Toilet paper to be obtained from quartermaster. 
No newspaper to be used in toilets or carried into 
them. 

MEMORANDUM. 

i . Lt. Edward Cussler is hereby detailed to see that 
all personal baggage of Base Hospital No. 9 is properly 
marked for identification and put ashore at port of 
debarkation. 

MEMORANDUM. 

i. The commanding officer learns, with no incon- 
siderable astonishment, that the practice obtains on 
the part of the chief wardmaster of going to the quarters 
of all ward surgeons early in the morning and waking 
them up in many instances to sign requisitions for their 
wards. Just how a ward surgeon can be sure that the 
articles for which he asks on these requisitions are 
actually needed in his ward, and how he can be sure 
that the supply which he has previously had was 
properly expended and not wasted, in his own quarters 
when he has presumably not visited his ward for several 
hours before, is not easily understood. Hereafter no 
ward surgeon will sign any requisition for supplies for 
his ward, except in the ward itself, and after a personal 
investigation as to the amount of supplies which are 
being daily consumed and as to the necessity for the 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 207 

additional supplies for which he asks. In no other 
way can the principle of economy in expenditure of 
medical and surgical supplies, which has been so often 
and so forcibly urged upon all officers of this command 
as one of the prime military necessities if ultimate 
victory is to be assured, be carried out to complete 
realization. 

2. Hereafter all requisitions for supplies for wards 
will be in the office of the chief wardmaster not later 
than 4.00 P.M. daily. 

3. The chief wardmaster is charged with the duty 
of examining all such requisitions, and of returning 
those which have not been properly signed by the ward 
surgeon to the ward from which they have come. He 
is likewise charged with the duty of seeing that all 
requisitions which have been properly signed are in the 
office of the commanding officer pot later than 4.30 
P.M. daily. Such requisitions will then be examined 
and passed upon by the adjutant in the evening, and 
will be secured by one of the non-commissioned officers 
charged with the duty of the replenishment of ward 
supplies at 7.30 A.M. the following morning and distri- 
buted to the proper departments. 

MEMORANDUM. 

i. Beginning Tuesday, October 23rd, 19 17, a daily 
inspection of this Hospital will be made by the com- 
manding officer. This inspection will begin at or about 
9.00 A.M. and will probably on the average consume 
approximately an hour. 

2. The police officer and the first sergeant of the 
detachment will report to the commanding officer daily 
at 8.50, prepared to take part in this inspection. 



208 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

3. For this inspection the officer of the day will be 
present at the guardhouse, the post exchange officer 
will be present at the post exchange, the detachment 
commander, or one of his assistants, in the barracks 
occupied by enlisted men; the chief nurse in the nurses' 
dormitories; the mess officer, or assistant mess officer, 
and the mess sergeant, in the mess building; each ward 
surgeon, or one of his commissioned assistants, in the 
ward to whose supervision he is assigned (unless the 
absence of such officer is interfered with by his pro- 
fessional duties) : Sergeant Barbieri in the pharmacy, 
Sergeant Hart in the linen rooms and storerooms; 
Sergeant Sharwell in the quartermaster storehouse and 
Corporal Gelhaus at the garage. The chief orderly 
will be present at the inspection of all wards. 



MEMORANDUM. 

i. Effective January 1st, 19 18, and until further 
orders, no assignments to duty and no changes in 
assignments to duty of officers, nurses, or secretaries, 
will be made except by the commanding officer, upon 
recommendation of the chiefs of section, the chief 
nurse, or the chief secretary, except in cases of urgent 
emergency, when the chief of a section or the senior one 
of his assistants then on the post may assign other 
officers of the same section to emergency duty, or may 
call upon the chief nurse for the immediate assignment 
of a nurse to such special emergency duty. Such 
action will be taken, however, only when it is impossible, 
to locate the commanding officer within a short period 
of time, and in all such cases such action will be re- 
ported to the commanding officer by the Chief of Sec- 



BASE HOSPITAL, NO. 9, A. E. F. 209 

tion concerned, or the Chief Nurse, for approval within 
twenty-four hours. 

2. All assignments to duty and changes in assign- 
ments to duty of enlisted men will be made by the de- 
tachment commander, so far as the internal administra- 
tion of the detachment itself is concerned, and by the 
detachment commander under instructions from the 
commanding officer or the adjutant for duties which do 
not constitute a part of the internal administration of 
the detachment. The detachment commander will 
not, however, in making assignments to duties which 
pertain to the internal administration of his detach- 
ment, relieve enlisted men from assignments to details 
not concerned with the internal administration of the 
detachment without authority from the commanding 
officer. None of the provisions of this paragraph shall 
be interpreted as applying to the enlisted personnel of 
the detachment of engineers now on duty at this post. 

3. Hereafter and until further orders, the period of 
night duty for nurses and for enlisted men on duty in 
the wards will be one month. The chief nurse will 
submit to the commanding officer on the 25th of each 
month the names of the nurses whom she recommends 
for assignment to night duty for the ensuing month and 
the particular duty for which she recommends each 
nurse. Such recommendation will include the name 
of one nurse to act as night supervisor and such night 
supervisor shall superintend the routine activities of all 
nurses then on night duty. Similar details of enlisted 
men for night duty in the wards will be made on the 
25th of each month by the detachment commander, 
under supervision of the commanding officer or the 
adjutant. Such details to become effective on the 
first day of the ensuing month. 



210 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

MEMORANDUM FOR ADJUTANT. 

I am going to have put on my door in the afternoons 
a big sign to the effect that I am busy. I have recently 
put up a sign to the effect that my office hours are in 
the kitchen building from 9.30 to 12.30. This means 
that in general I would like to have the officers see me 
at the kitchen between those hours on matters of 
official business and that I would like to be left free as 
much as possible in the afternoons until this accumu- 
lated mass of paper work is off my hands. This sign 
of "Busy" does not apply in any sense to you. 

MEMORANDUM FOR DETACHMENT COMMANDER. 

Instruct all your enlisted men that whenever they 
see Chinese patients running around the Hospital they 
are to nab them and take them back to their wards. 

MEMORANDUM FOR CHIEF OF MEDICAL SECTION. 

The commanding officer directs that hereafter 
whiskey be no longer used as a flavoring agent solely 
in egg-nogs. 

MEMORANDUM FOR CHAPLAIN. 

I would suggest that the cinematographic repre- 
sentations be held solely for the members of the Unit 
at seven-thirty each evening. 

These are only a few but they are sufficient to 
remind the members of the Unit of the days of the 

"Memo." 



VIII. 

A SKETCH OF THE LABORATORY. 
Prepared by Major Ralph G. Stillman. 

The personnel of the laboratory as originally de- 
signed was planned to include two medical officers and 
a technician and two or three enlisted men. The 
chief of the laboratory was pathologist and bacteri- 
ologist while his assistant was a clinical pathologist. 
The technician was a stenographer who had had experi- 
ence in the laboratory of the New York Hospital in 
histological technic. It was found that this staff was 
ample to carry on the ordinary work that was to be 
expected in the laboratory. There should have been 
included at least one statistical clerk, for there has 
proved to be so many demands upon the laboratory 
for reports and compilations that to fulfil them would 
have seriously crippled the work of the staff. It was 
impossible to obtain such clerks after the organization 
reached France. Special workers for special situa- 
tions, e. g. wound bacteriologists for service in times 
of stress would probably better be not attached to 
individual organizations but sent wherever their services 
are needed most. 

In addition to the equipment obtained by purchase 
and to a certain amount which it was possible to obtain 
from the Laboratory of the New York Hospital, there 
were fitted out three boxes of emergency equipment 

211 



212 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

whose contents were so selected that with these three 
boxes at hand it would have been possible to have set 
up a laboratory in any location and to have carried on 
the simpler and more urgent examinations of clinical 
pathology and bacteriology. These boxes were gyi" 
x 14^2 " x 31" external measurement and two of them 
were fitted with compartments to contain 8 oz "sterili- 
zer bottles." The bottles contained sterile agar, broth 
and ascitic fluid, chemical reagents and solutions of 
dyes. Arrangements were made to have these boxes 
accompany the personnel of the unit should there arise 
the necessity to ship the general equipment separately. 
In respect to equipment it is suggested that it would 
be far preferable in any future similar condition to have 
standard laboratory equipment cases devised for labora- 
tories of different types and to have these far more 
extensive than anything existent in the Army prior to 
191 7. From the large amount of material which is 
now on hand it should be relatively easy to have a 
fairly large number of such outfits collected. Standard 
lists could be readily compiled from those already in use 
in the American E. F. and from the lists of apparatus 
which were submitted to the Director of Laboratories 
by the Base Hospital laboratories which came to 
France supplied with their own outfits. Regarding one 
item, that is microscopes, it would have greatly relieved 
the situation as it existed in France had the Govern- 
ment requisitioned the large numbers which are in the 
possession of the various medical schools in the United 
States. These could have been taken over as loans 
and returned at the expiration of the emergency. As 
it was, microscopes could not be purchased in the 
market and for a long time many of the laboratories 
were crippled by their lack in this respect. 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E F. 213 

On arrival at what proved to be the permanent 
station of the organization, a large light room was 
chosen for the location of the laboratory. This was 
not fitted up with laboratory furniture for some months 
and until it was ready the laboratory work was done 
in a similar room in the same building but without gas, 
water or drainage. The room selected was in the 
building in which the operating room and the X-ray 
and Dental departments were situated. The plan pro- 
vided two rooms, a large one for the general laboratory 
work and a small one in which the officer in charge had 
his office and in which a certain amount of the work 
was to be done. Furniture, gas and water, electricity 
and drainage were installed by the detachment of 
engineers who were making the needed alterations on 
the place. Deficiencies in furnishings installed were 
due largely to difficulties in obtaining suitable material. 
For most purposes it was possible to devise more or 
less satisfactory substitutes. Tables and desks were 
made of green undressed lumber and covered with 
heavy linoleum which had been taken from the floors 
of the operating room. Sheet metal was unobtainable 
so that the autopsy table was covered with a layer of 
pitch and the table for the sterilizers covered with a 
layer of bricks. In both instances the substitute was 
satisfactory though certainly not ideal. A small 
cement-finished room behind one of the wards was 
selected for the autopsy room and fitted with water 
and light. It was rather awkward of access but 
offered advantages because of its seclusion. The 
general plan of the hospital and the geographical rela- 
tions of the laboratory and autopsy room can be seen 
in the plan in this book. The distance from the 
laboratory to the autopsy room in a straight line is 



214 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

about 125 yards. A small enclosed yard adjacent to 
one of the wards was utilized as an animal yard and an 
old chicken-house was fitted with small cages for rabbits 
and guinea pigs and placed in it. 

Nearly all specimens were sent to the laboratory 
by an orderfy or convalescent patient. Soon after 
patients began to be received, a form was posted in each 
ward and these regulations were pretty generally 
adhered to. Naturally as the hospital became busier 
and the medical officers became accustomed to the 
situation, the regulation as to the entry of orders for 
specimens in the Ward Order Book was not enforced. 
Slips were sent to the Laboratory for Wassermann re- 
actions, blood counts and blood cultures and these 
specimens were collected by members of the laboratory 
staff. Cultures from the naso-pharynx for exami- 
nation for the meningococcus were also taken usually 
by one of the laboratory staff but lumbar punctures, 
wound cultures and all such similar specimens were 
obtained either by the ward surgeon or the nurse. 
It was realized that there are many advantages in 
having such specimens obtained by the laboratory 
officer, especially wound and throat cultures, but such 
a procedure would have seriously reduced that officer's 
working time and under the circumstances it was felt 
that more could be accomplished by having specimens 
sent from the wards when possible. 

Routine reports were distributed to the wards 
towards the close of the day's work. Where the 
need was urgent, that fact was indicated on the 
report blank and the report sent either by special 
messenger or by telephone as soon as the examination 
was completed. The hospital was furnished with a 
fairly complete telephone system, a very important 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 215 

essential, especially where the plant is spread over so 
much ground. 

The laboratory records were kept on duplicate 
report blanks in the usual way. The reports for the 
current month were filed alphabetically as they accumu- 
lated. At the end of the month they were divided 
into sections for the compilation of the monthly "Nu- 
merical Summary of Work Done" and then were filed 
alphabetically under the headings of each section. 

The cooperation of the attending staff was not a 
problem at this hospital. This was probably due to 
the fact that the officer personnel as originally con- 
stituted was made up almost wholly of men connected 
with the same institution and well acquainted with 
each other in civil life. The addition of new officers 
to the staff was made so gradually that the tradition 
was hardly affected. The result was that occasional 
conversations secured full cooperation of any or all of 
the clinicians within such limits as the situation would 
permit at any given time. 

SERVICE RENDERED BY THE LABORATORY. 

(i) The examinations in clinical pathology have 
formed numerically the largest bulk of the work. The 
laboratory was able to respond to all of the demands 
made upon it in this department, largely because, it is 
believed, the clinicians did not ask for examinations 
unnecessarily. Dark field examinations for the tre- 
ponema pallida were not begun until November, 191 8, 
as it was not until then that the apparatus was received. 

(2) Anatomic pathology formed a relatively small 
portion of the work. Operative specimens were few 
in this service and for a large portion of the time the 



216 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

department was without the services of an experienced 
histological pathologist. Sections were made from all 
of the autopsies and examined as the opportunity 
offered. It was possible to perform complete autopsies 
on the bodies of all patients dying in the hospital and 
in addition the laboratory was called upon to autopsy 
the bodies of those dying in accidents near the hospital 
and those dying in some of the Camp Hospitals and 
Camp Infirmaries situated near here. But few museum 
specimens were prepared because this hospital received 
very few patients that had been wounded recently. 

(3) In bacteriology, the work was fairly heavy. 
Wound cultures played an important part during the 
past few months. There was no very great demand 
for throat and naso-pharyngeal cultures since no 
epidemic occurred in this vicinity. Cultures were 
made at autopsy with fair regularity. The typing of 
pneumococci obtained from the sputum was hindered 
by the difficulty in obtaining diagnostic serum in 
sufficient amounts. In the early part of the stay here a 
fairly large number of specimens of water were ex- 
amined bacteriologically for organizations stationed in 
the Department of the Indre. Later it became clear 
that all of the natural water supplies were quite heavily 
contaminated and required treatment so that the 
requests for this work became less numerous. Supplies 
for making culture media were either brought to France 
by the organization or were obtained at the local 
slaughter house with little difficulty. 

(4) Agglutination tests and blood grouping were 
infrequent examinations. There were very few cases of 
typhoid fever in this hospital, but the agglutination test 
would probably have been used more extensively had 
it been possible to obtain standardized emulsions for 



BASE HOSPITAL, NO. 9, A. E. F. 217 

the performance of comparative tests. The perform- 
ance of the Wassermann reaction was not begun until 
March, 191 8, but from that time on the laboratory 
served a fairly large territory. The number of tests 
done varied from 30 to 120 per week. Standardized 
antigen and amboceptor were furnished by the Central 
Medical Department Laboratory and sheep's cells 
obtained from the local slaughter house. The technic 
was a standard one adopted by the Central Laboratory. 
It is believed that this standardization is a highly 
desirable procedure. 

(5) Practically no chemistry was called for. There 
have been two cases of diabetes in the hospital for 
which some little work was done but that is about all. 

(6) The absence of epidemics in this locality aside 
from the two epidemics of influenza, made the amount 
of epidemiology practically nothing. 

(7) Sanitary surveys were macle of the hospital 
itself and the officer in charge of the laboratory acted 
as Sanitary Officer of the Post. On two occasions also 
the officer in charge of the laboratory assisted in sanitary 
surveys of neighboring camps. 

(8) A small amount of material, chiefly reagents 
and therapeutic sera, was furnished to Camp Hospitals 
and Infirmaries in the vicinity. It was also possible 
to supply the Central Medical Department Laboratory 
with a small amount of the sugars. 

(9) Few operative procedures were carried out by 
the laboratory staff. Salvarsan and therapeutic sera 
were administered by the ward surgeons though the 
latter were stocked by the laboratory. There was 
practically no call for animal inoculations except such 
as were necessary in the typing of pneumococci by the 
mouse method. 



218 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

One of the chief difficulties in the general run of 
laboratory work was the irregular supply of fuel. The 
gas supply at this place was off daily from 12.30 to 
5.30 P.M. and again at 10.00 P.M. Alcohol could 
often be obtained with difficulty and there were weeks 
when there was none at all to be had. Kerosene was 
usually to be had in such quantities as were necessary. 
The electric current was supplied continuously, but 
there were frequent threats that it might have to be 
shut off because of the shortage of coal. It should be 
noted that the alternating current in France is of 50 
cycles instead of the 60 cycle current furnished in the 
United States. It should be noted also that the lamp 
socket used in France is a spring with a bayonet lock 
instead of a screw connection as used in the United 
States. Electrical apparatus therefore often had to be 
changed to meet the changed conditions. So far as 
could be learned, electrical current was available every- 
where so that it would probably be more satisfactory 
to have heating appliances such as incubators and hot 
air sterilizers run by electricity instead of by gas or 
kerosene. Gasolene bunsen burners perhaps would 
be more universally applicable than those using either 
alcohol or kerosene. 

Section Two. 

(a) statistical data. 

It is difficult to give accurate statistical data for 
the whole work of the Laboratory according to the 
headings on the Numerical Summary of the Laboratory 
Work Done since these forms were not issued until 
November, 191 8, and prior to this time the record was 
kept according to a different classification which yields 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 219 

very different numerical summaries, e. g., urinalysis 
was formerly classed as one examination while the 
present blank allows two, one for the chemical and one 
for the microscopic. The following figures are there- 
fore approximate but are believed to be reasonably 
accurate: 

Urinalyses 6,980 

Blood clinical pathology 1,725 

Total clinical pathology 11,000 

Autopsies 140 

Total anatomic pathology 185 

Wound cultures 1,400 

Total bacteriology 3,200 

Wassermanns 1,875 

Total serology !,95° 

Total chemistry 10 

Operative procedures 125 



Approximate grand total of all laboratory 
procedures September 1st, 191 7, to 
December 3 1 st, 1 9 1 8 1 6,470 

During January and February, 19 18, Major Elser 
carried on a bacteriological study of the cases dying 
with bronchopneumonia, especially those complicating 
measles. He was detached from this organization 
before he was able to finish the work and his results 
are not available here. 

The only other special investigation undertaken 
was an attempt made to find out how many of the 
command were carriers of the hemolytic streptococcus 
in their throats. It was found that of 153 examined 
about one-third carried this organism. 



220 THE NEW YORK HOSPITAL IN FRANCE 

(b) PERSONAL DATA. 

At the outset the officer staff consisted of Capt., 
later Major William J. Elser and ist Lt., later Capt. 
Ralph G. Stillman, both of the Medical Corps. On 
February 14th, 19 18, Major Elser was detached and 
ordered to the Central Medical Department Laboratory 
for duty. Capt., later Major Stillman became head 
of the laboratory and ist Lt. R. H. Boots was sent here 
for duty. About April ist Lt. Boots was detached 
and about April 20th Capt. Hubert V. Weihrauch of 
the Medical Corps was attached to the laboratory. 
This staff then remained unchanged until the first of 
December when ist Lt. G. C. Kindler of the Medical 
Corps was sent here for duty when it was apparent that 
Major Stillman would soon be detached. 

One woman, Miss N. D. Prey, remained attached 
to the laboratory throughout the entire period as a 
civilian employee. She served as technician and ste- 
nographer and when able also gave her time to the 
compilation of statistics that were required. 

One enlisted man, a sergeant was attached to the 
laboratory from the outset. In December, 191 7, a 
second sergeant was attached and these two with the 
occasional assistance from convalescent patients were 
able to handle the work until about in August, 19 18, 
when, chiefly because of the increase in wound bacteri- 
ology, it became necessary to add two other enlisted 
men to the staff. 

It was found comparatively easy to train intelligent 
enlisted men to perform most of the routine procedures 
of clinical pathology and it was the expressed opinion 
of several of the clinicians that blood counts were done 
more accurately here than they were usually done 



BASE HOSPITAL NO. 9, A. E. F. 221 

in civil hospitals when carried out by junior internes. 
With time they were also trained to do a great deal 
of the bacteriology and the Wassermann reactions. 
The work asked for was thus carried out. If it had 
been possible to enlarge the staff more work could have 
been done, but it is our opinion that no essential 
procedure and few of those desirable were omitted. 



